The Haileybury Society is saddened to announce the death of Nicholas Crichton, CBE (Tr 57), who has died on 17th December 2018 aged 75.

After leaving Haileybury, Nicholas studied law at Queen’s University, Belfast before practising as a solicitor in north west London. Between 1971 and 1986, he developed a particular interest in child protection, a specialism which was to define his career and establish his reputation.

A legal pioneer in family proceedings

Appointed a district judge in 1986, and then appointed to sit full time in family proceedings in 1995, he was a passionate advocate of family welfare and pioneered the first Family Drug and Alcohol Courts (FDACs) in 2008.

FDACs now play a key role in helping families suffering from problems relating to substance abuse; in particular, addressing parental substance misuse when it lies behind local authority decisions to bring care proceedings.

Among the many benefits associated with the introduction of FDACs were their ability to transform family behaviour and, provided that parents committed to that change, enable families to flourish. Crucially, the cost to society of a family successfully dealt with in this way was a fraction of that were the family to remain dysfunctional (the attendant costs of which exceeded many times the cost of sending a child to a school such as Haileybury). Indeed, the unit was hailed by Sir James Munby, president of the family division of the high court of England and Wales, as one of the most important developments in family justice in the last 40 years.

“I’m not starry eyed – but we are giving them the best chance”

FDACs were not a soft option, as Crichton himself often said, but even cases which failed had unforseen benefits for the entire family system. In an interview with The Guardian’s Juliet Rix in 2012, Nicholas said, “I’m not starry eyed, we still have more families not making it than making it, but we are giving them the best chance – and there have been unexpected benefits. Because we make the parents work so intensively, if they cannot do it, we are picking that up earlier, and finding alternative permanent solutions for the children more quickly. And we have fewer contested cases. Parents trust the [FDAC] team so some who don’t make it come to understand why they haven’t made it and don’t fight all the way”.

Nicholas’s legacy

It is a tribute to his pioneering zeal that today there are 10 specialist FDAC teams working in 15 courts across 23 local authorities in the United Kingdom. This did not pass un-noticed. His CBE, of 2012, was awarded to a District Judge who had: “dedicated himself to the welfare of children and families who are involved in the family justice system, both in the UK and overseas.” In 2014 Nicholas was also named the Law Society Gazette’s Legal Personality of the Year for his important work and, in 2016, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Education by the University of East London and the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust.

Love of Haileybury

Nicholas never forgot his time at Haileybury and earlier this year visited the College with his brother David (Tr 52), remembering in particular their joint love of sport played in their school heyday, when they were members of both the xv and the xi.

Nicholas and David Crichton at Haileybury — *Above: Nicholas and his brother David inspect the boards at Haileybury*

He spent the last days of his life surrounded by his family (including his 5 grandchildren) and died peacefully at the Isabel hospice in Hertfordshire. He leaves a widow, Jane, to whom we send our heartfelt condolences.

Just Giving Page

A Just Giving page has been set up in Nicholas’s memory by his son, Simon. All donations are to Isabel Hospice, who looked after Nicholas in his final days and to whom he himself donated. To learn more, and to donate, please click here