Greater transparency in the family courts was one of the issues to be examined by a judicial working group established by the lady chief justice in September last year.

Dame Siobhan Keegan has now approved a pilot scheme, under which media representatives who have registered to take part may apply for a transparency order.

Such an order would allow them to attend and report on what they see and hear in specified cases in the family division of the High Court, subject to the principles of anonymity.

The scheme is based on the transparency model now operating in England and Wales after new rules came into effect in that jurisdiction in January following a two-year pilot.

The pilot aims to “establish criteria for accreditation of media wishing to access family courts, test the workability of the processes based on the transparency model operating in England and Wales and develop guidelines for reporting which can be tested”.

Any wider roll-out after the pilot would require “changes to legislative and operational procedures” by the Department of Justice — meaning it is likely years away.

Media organisations are currently being consulted on the proposed arrangements.

“The consultation closes on 8 September 2025 and responses received will be considered with the aim that the media pilot will run from October 2025 to June 2026,” a spokesperson for the lady chief justice said.