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As the number of children being taken into the care of local authorities has risen sharply in recent years following the death of Baby Peter, so have the demands on the courts who must ultimately determine their futures.

The time it takes to conclude child protection cases through the courts in Wales can vary by as much as six months, depending on where you live.

While some family courts in Wales conclude care and supervision proceedings to permanently remove children from their families within as little as 21 weeks, others are taking up to 60 weeks.

Concern over the length of time it takes to complete care cases led to the wide-ranging Family Justice Review, which reported back earlier this year after 18 months of hearing evidence.

Its recommendations for reform include a maximum six-month time limit for care cases, apart from those with exceptional circumstances.

But while intentions may be well-meaning, how realistic are the new targets, when those charged with safeguarding the futures of our most vulnerable children are already struggling to cope?

A recent survey by the British Association of Social Workers among its members in Wales revealed concern about unmanageable workloads, lack of supervision, loss of support staff increasing admin tasks, and other issues.

As the first steps towards dramatic reform of the family justice system in England and Wales are taken, we ask whether a system under pressure can meet the challenges of the future.