In 2011, Claire Throssell made a solemn promise as she held her dying son Jack in her arms - no more children would die like him. The tragic fate of Jack and his nine-year-old brother Paul was sealed by their father Darren Sykes who set fires that killed both boys while on an unsupervised visit. Eleven years have passed since that fateful day, yet Throssell's resolve remains unwavering.
When asked about the anniversary of the fire, she was met with unexpected news - the government had announced plans to repeal the 'presumption of contact' law which dictated that children should be granted access to both parents unless it could be proven otherwise. This decision came as a welcome relief for Throssell who had long campaigned against this law.
Throssell's battle against the law began years ago when her sons were at risk due to their father's violent behavior. She repeatedly warned court officials about his intentions, yet they dismissed her concerns and awarded him unsupervised access to the boys. The devastating consequences of that decision are all too familiar to many families who have suffered similar tragedies.
"I told them what would happen, I couldn't predict how but I knew he would do it," Throssell said in a poignant moment of reflection on the loss she and her children endured. Her determination to expose the flaws in this law led her to team up with Women's Aid, a charity dedicated to fighting domestic abuse.
Together, they launched the 'Child First' campaign which aimed to repeal the presumption of contact law. The success of this campaign is evident as the government has finally listened to Throssell's pleas and taken action to protect vulnerable children like her sons.
However, it remains a sad reminder that 67 more children have lost their lives since Jack and Paul in circumstances related to unsafe child contact within the family courts over the past three decades. Their story serves as a stark warning of the need for urgent reform to safeguard the wellbeing and safety of children at risk from domestic abuse.
For Throssell, the repeal of this law has not only been an emotional victory but also allowed her to keep her promise to Jack and Paul. The pain of losing her sons still feels overwhelming at times, yet she continues to fight tirelessly for justice on behalf of families who have suffered as hers did.
The legacy of Jack and Paul's tragic story lives on through Throssell's unwavering dedication to raising awareness about domestic abuse and child protection. As the government begins to implement this new law, her determination serves as a beacon of hope that one day no more children will die like her sons.
When asked about the anniversary of the fire, she was met with unexpected news - the government had announced plans to repeal the 'presumption of contact' law which dictated that children should be granted access to both parents unless it could be proven otherwise. This decision came as a welcome relief for Throssell who had long campaigned against this law.
Throssell's battle against the law began years ago when her sons were at risk due to their father's violent behavior. She repeatedly warned court officials about his intentions, yet they dismissed her concerns and awarded him unsupervised access to the boys. The devastating consequences of that decision are all too familiar to many families who have suffered similar tragedies.
"I told them what would happen, I couldn't predict how but I knew he would do it," Throssell said in a poignant moment of reflection on the loss she and her children endured. Her determination to expose the flaws in this law led her to team up with Women's Aid, a charity dedicated to fighting domestic abuse.
Together, they launched the 'Child First' campaign which aimed to repeal the presumption of contact law. The success of this campaign is evident as the government has finally listened to Throssell's pleas and taken action to protect vulnerable children like her sons.
However, it remains a sad reminder that 67 more children have lost their lives since Jack and Paul in circumstances related to unsafe child contact within the family courts over the past three decades. Their story serves as a stark warning of the need for urgent reform to safeguard the wellbeing and safety of children at risk from domestic abuse.
For Throssell, the repeal of this law has not only been an emotional victory but also allowed her to keep her promise to Jack and Paul. The pain of losing her sons still feels overwhelming at times, yet she continues to fight tirelessly for justice on behalf of families who have suffered as hers did.
The legacy of Jack and Paul's tragic story lives on through Throssell's unwavering dedication to raising awareness about domestic abuse and child protection. As the government begins to implement this new law, her determination serves as a beacon of hope that one day no more children will die like her sons.
. My heart still goes out to that poor woman who lost her kids in such a tragic way, can you imagine?
11 yrs since those tragic fires & still so many kids dying cuz of family courts failure 
. Claire Throssell's fight is inspiring, but sad reminder that we've lost 67 more kiddos 
. Hope this new law brings change & no more innocent lives lost 
. It's a good day for families like mine who've been affected by domestic abuse 
I can imagine how hard it must be for Claire Throssell to see progress but also still feel the pain of losing her boys. 67 more kids since then is just devastating 
We need to keep pushing for reform and making sure that no more families go through what hers did. I'm glad she's getting some justice, but it's not enough - we have to do better 
claire throssell is literally a hero for speaking out against that awful law and fighting so hard for change... i'm literally getting chills thinking about how much pain she's been through, but her determination to keep her promise to jack and paul is just the most inspiring thing ever 
it's crazy that the gov has finally listened to her and taken action to protect those little ones... 67 more kids can't be saved because of that law for way too long 
anyway i'm so proud of claire for never giving up and i hope this new law makes a real difference in keeping families safe 
Claire Throssell's story is literally heartbreaking her boys Jack & Paul died bc of their dad's horrific actions & she's been fighting 2 protect other kids from goin thru the same thing