The keynote addresses will be delivered by Sir James Munby, who retired as head of the family courts in England and Wales in 2018, and Amanda Masson, partner at Harper Macleod LLP.

Sir James, who is now the chair of the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory, will talk about the lessons that he learned from the bench as families looked to the law for help in resolving issues they couldn’t and also how the Nuffield Observatory is working to improve outcomes for children.

Family law specialist Amanda Masson will talk about how the concepts of “contact” and “residence” could evolve in the Children (Scotland) Bill to embrace the notion of shared care.

Shared Parenting Scotland national manager, Ian Maxwell, said: “We have been a separately constituted charity in Scotland for 10 years and, I believe, have build up some credibility for our efforts in focusing the efforts of separated parents on finding a way to put their children first.

“We are changing our name for two reasons. First because an increasing proportion of those who contact us aren’t fathers but grandparents, sisters, new partners, same-sex parents and mothers.

“Secondly, based on a raft of research and changing approaches to family law around the world, it seems clear that as a general rule children do better in most aspects of their life when they are confident they have the support, loyalty and love of both their parents - and their respective extended families – even after they no longer live together.

“Our concern and our campaigning that lies ahead is to tackle the attitudes and the practical obstacles there are in Scotland that stop parents looking at the bigger picture for their children. There are too many incentives to conflict and too few incentives to collaboration. That’s not getting it right for every child.”

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