Abusive partners could be banned from seeing their children, as the government launches an inquiry into “secretive” family courts.

Legal experts and children’s charities welcomed the announcement on Tuesday saying that an inquiry was “long overdue” and that for too long “the family courts have been shrouded in secrecy”.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) revealed that it will convene a panel of experts for a three-month consultation to review family courts, with those directly involved in relevant cases to be “imminently” called to give evidence.

The inquiry will be “wide-ranging”, but The Telegraph understands that it will particularly assess where there is room for improvement or strengthening regarding parental access rights.

Currently people conviction of domestic abuse crimes can apply to have access to see their children, children can request to see them. However, child protection in the family courts regarding parental access will come under fresh scrutiny, with the result that abusive partners could be banned from having access to their children.