H v R (Respect Programme or Equivalent Programme)

Facts

The applicant Father and respondent Mother were in a relationship between 2006 and May 2022 and have two children, A, aged 8, and B, aged 3, who was born shortly after the relationship ended. The children live with Mother and have no direct contact with Father, only indirect contact. Following a fact-finding hearing on 14-17 July 2025, DJ Jenkins found proved a series of allegations of domestic abuse against Father: an assault on 6 March 2020 by pushing Mother against a wall and slamming her on the floor; an assault on 25 May 2022 by pushing her in the stomach when she was five months pregnant; harassment and stalking on 14 September 2023 after the final separation; controlling, coercive and violent behaviour on various occasions throughout the relationship; an assault on 26 October 2020 by strangling her and punching her in the face; and a strangulation in 2016. One much more minor allegation against Mother was also proved. On 24 June 2025 Father began therapeutic work with Ms Kaur, a social worker trained but not accredited in the delivery of Respect courses. At the welfare hearing Mother, supported by an addendum Cafcass report of 19 January 2026, sought continuation of indirect contact only until Father completed a Respect accredited perpetrator programme; Father sought the introduction of supervised contact progressing to supported and then unsupported contact.