Millions of UK children are affected by separation each year, and when parents can't agree on custody arrangements, the case goes to Family Court.
Judges must weigh evidence carefully - from witness testimony to DNA testing and substance misuse assessments—to decide where children live and how much time they spend with each parent.
This article explores the latest child custody statistics for 2025 and the role specialist testing plays in helping courts reach safe, evidence-based decisions.
Report Highlights:
- There are an estimated 2.4 million separated families in Great Britain, involving about 3.8 million children
- 89% of single-parent families are headed by mothers, while lone fathers now account for 16.7% of lone-parent families
- The median duration for child custody cases in England and Wales is approximately 43 weeks, though over 5,300 children are in proceedings lasting more than 52 weeks
How Many UK Children Are Affected By Separation?
- There are an estimated 2.4 million separated families in Great Britain, involving about 3.8 million children (financial year ending 2023).
- Around 59% of these separated families have some form of child maintenance arrangement in place, either informal or via the statutory Child Maintenance Service.
Do Most Children Live With Their Mother After Separation?
- Around 1 in 4 UK families with dependent children is headed by a single parent, and approximately 89% of single‑parent families are headed by mothers (11% by fathers).
- Overall there are about 2 million single parents with dependent children in the UK, raising 3.3 million dependent children.
Are Single‑Father Households Increasing?
- In 2024 the UK had 3.2 million lone‑parent families, up from 3.0 million in 2014.
- Lone fathers now account for 16.7% of lone‑parent families (around 530,000 families) in 2024, compared with 13.1% in 2014, indicating a gradual rise in children living primarily with their father.
How Often Do Parents Go To Court Over Child Arrangements?
- Cafcass received 39,661 new private law children’s cases (mainly disputes about where a child lives or spends time) in England between April 2023 and March 2024.
- In the current financial year (1 April 2025 to 31 October 2025), Cafcass has already received 23,982 new private law cases concerning 36,318 children.
Who Is More Likely To Apply To The Family Court – Mothers Or Fathers?
- Nuffield Family Justice Observatory data show that fathers make the majority of private law applications in England and Wales, with mothers representing a smaller but growing share of applicants in child arrangements disputes.
- Recent commentary notes that private law proceedings involving children have been generally increasing, with a reported 4.2% growth in April 2023 compared with April 2022.
How Long Do Child Custody Cases Take?
- The median duration for private law (child arrangements) cases in England and Wales is approximately 43 weeks (as of 2024), down slightly from 45 weeks in 2023.
- However, over 5,300 children are currently in private law proceedings that have been ongoing for more than 52 weeks, with 1,753 of these cases exceeding 100 weeks.
- Wales performs significantly better, averaging just 18 weeks for private law cases, while London averages 70 weeks.
What Types Of Orders Do Courts Make In Child Arrangement Cases?
- Family Court statistics explain that “child arrangements orders” can state where a child “lives with” and when they “spend time with” each parent, replacing the old “residence” and “contact” terminology.
- Recent appellate guidance confirms that a “shared lives with” order does not require an exactly equal time split; a child may spend more nights with one parent but be legally recorded as “living with” both, putting parents on an equal footing for key decisions such as holidays abroad.
How Does DNA Testing Fit Into Child Custody And Contact Disputes?
- Under Part III of the Family Law Reform Act 1969, courts in England and Wales can direct DNA testing to determine parentage in civil proceedings where parentage is in question, including disputes linked to parental responsibility and child arrangements.
- Since 2015, all Family Court judges in England have been able to order DNA testing to resolve paternity disputes, helping judges make faster and more confident decisions about child maintenance and contact.
How Can Confirming Paternity Help Resolve Arrangements?
- Legal and practice guidance emphasises that where a child’s legal parentage is disputed, clarifying paternity or maternity via DNA testing can be a crucial first step before the court decides where a child lives or how they spend time with each parent.
- DNA testing providers accredited for court work can supply reports and expert evidence that are accepted in family proceedings, supporting parents, Cafcass officers and judges to reach safe, evidence‑based outcomes for children.
How Common Is Drug And Alcohol Testing In Child Custody Cases?
- Hair strand testing (HST) is increasingly used in family court proceedings to provide objective, long-term evidence (typically 3-12 months) of substance misuse by parents.
- Courts routinely order PEth (Phosphatidylethanol) and EtG (Ethyl Glucuronide) blood tests alongside hair testing to assess recent alcohol consumption and corroborate findings.
- In one documented case, HST and blood test results directly influenced the court's decision to keep children in foster care rather than return them to a parent claiming sobriety.
Sources
Office for National Statistics (ONS) - Families and households in the UK: 2023 and 2024
Ministry of Justice (MOJ) - Family Court Statistics Quarterly (2023, 2024, and 2025 releases)
Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) - Annual data summaries and private law demand data (2023-2025)
Gov.uk - Separated families statistics: April 2014 to March 2023
Nuffield Family Justice Observatory - Data on mothers and fathers making parental applications in England and Wales
Family Court Annual Report - October 2023 to September 2024 (Judiciary UK)
Gingerbread - Single parents facts and figures (2024-2025)
Gov.uk - Guide to Family Court Statistics and Background information on separated families
Slater and Gordon - DNA Testing and the Family Courts (2015)
Charles Russell Speechlys - A Look Down The Microscope into DNA Testing in Family Law (2025)
Chronicle Law / Cansford Labs - The role of hair strand testing in family court (2024)
Gov.uk - Everyday business: Addressing domestic abuse and parental alienation in the family court (2025)
National Audit Office (NAO) - Government has more to do to reduce family justice delays (2025)
BBC News - New guidance on 'parental alienation' in family court battles (December 2024)