Teddy bear protest outside Northampton court calls for reform of family justice system
Dozens of teddy bears and soft toys have appeared outside Northampton County Court as part of a national campaign highlighting the impact of family court delays on children and parents.
The display has been organised by People Against Parental Alienation (PAPA), which has brought its Lost Years Campaign to Northampton as it continues to gain attention across the UK.
Each toy placed outside the court represents a child who has lost time with a loving parent while families become caught up in lengthy family court proceedings.
The demonstration will remain outside the court for two weeks, with campaigners encouraging families affected by the issue to visit and add their own soft toys in support.
According to PAPA, similar demonstrations have already taken place outside courts in Milton Keynes, Peterborough and Portsmouth, helping to spark public debate about the effect of delays within the family justice system.
The campaign has also received national media coverage, including reports by the BBC, which featured the experiences of families affected by parental alienation and prolonged court proceedings.
Simon Cobb, founder of PAPA, said the growing attention surrounding the campaign showed families were becoming more willing to speak out about their experiences.
He said: “The fact that this campaign is being reported on by the BBC and newspapers across the country shows that families are no longer willing to suffer in silence.
“People are finally beginning to recognise that family court delays are not just administrative problems — they are childhoods being lost in real time.”
Mr Cobb said each soft toy symbolised a child missing out on important family experiences while legal proceedings continued.
The Lost Years Campaign is calling for reforms to the family justice system, including faster court processes, stronger enforcement of child arrangement orders and greater recognition of the long-term impact of prolonged separation from a parent.
“A child only gets one childhood,” Mr Cobb said. “When courts delay decisions for months or years, those years are gone forever. Justice delayed for parents is a childhood denied for children.”
The campaign’s central message is: “Tears wash away lost years.”