Voices for Reform

TOPICS: Child abuse, family violence, family courts relying on pseudo-scientific theories, system failures, calls for reform.

In this short film, several safe loving parents who try to protect their children from a known harm talk about their experience in family court. They reveal how the system meant to protect children disallowed them to do so and sent their children into harms way, in one case resulting in the death of a young child (Kayden Mancuso). Voices for Reform reveals how family courts inadvertently, but systematically and unnecessarily send children into harms way by relying heavily on debunked, outmoded theories which are not in step with current research and scientific evidence. Even though there is a safe alternative for these children (a safe parent), family courts too often place the children at risk by ordering them into the care of abusers, creating both individual and broad intergenerational social ills. This film reveals the problem protective parents face in courts, and at the end offers some suggestions on policy changes to improve matters in family courts so that children are safer and can lead happy healthy lives free from harm.
The parents narratives here are incredibly moving. This film was made with no budget, just the will to share stories to create positive change for children and their protectors.