Girl, 14, forced to become pregnant with donor sperm bought by mother – The Guardian

“A mother forced her 14-year-old adopted daughter to inseminate herself with donor sperm to provide a baby for her after she was prevented from adopting any more children, it can be revealed. The daughter, a virgin, is believed to have miscarried at 14, but went on to have a baby at 16 after regularly inseminating herself with sperm bought over the internet by her ‘domineering’ mother because she was too scared to refuse. Details of the shocking case have emerged in a previously secret court judgment, which can be reported today for the first time and which raises serious questions over loopholes in international adoptions and the regulation of the global traffic in gametes.”

Full story

The Guardian, 28th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Father loses custody fight for child he never knew he had – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 26th, 2013 in adoption, appeals, custody, news, parental rights by tracey

“A ‘cruelly deceived’ father whose son was put up for adoption without him even
knowing of his existence has had his hopes of gaining custody dashed following a
court ruling.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 25th April 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Local authority ordered to pay substantial costs in family human rights case – UK Human Rights Blog

“This was a costs application arising from an extremely important decision by Peter Jackson J in June 2012 (see Alasdair Henderson’s post here and read judgment).”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 19th April 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Absolutely Transparent – Pink Tape

Posted April 2nd, 2013 in adoption, costs, family courts, media, news, reporting restrictions by sally

“Transparency in family justice is an issue that cannot be swept under the carpet.”

Full story

Pink Tape, 29th March 2013

Source: www.pinktape.co.uk

Human Rights and Family Law Spring Update – Family Law Week

“Deirdre Fottrell, barrister of Coram Chambers, reviews recent cases involving human rights issues which are of significance to family lawyers.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 22nd March 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Post-adoption support should be a legal right, say Lords – BBC News

Posted March 6th, 2013 in adoption, local government, news, reports, social services by sally

“Adoptive parents in England should have a legal right to support, a House of Lords report argues.”

Full story

BBC News, 6th March 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Related link: Adoption: Post-Legislative Scrutiny Report (PDF)

Adoption should not just be about speed – The Guardian

Posted March 6th, 2013 in adoption, local government, news, social services by sally

“The government fails to recognise that post-adoption support is as important as finding families quickly.”

Full story

The Guardian, 5th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prospective adoptive child will not be taken from blind woman, for now – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted February 19th, 2013 in adoption, disabled persons, injunctions, local government, medical treatment, news by sally

“This case, described by Cobb J as an ‘unusual and troubling’ case, concerns a 1 year old girl ‘SB’ and a woman ‘RCW’. SB was born prematurely, at 27 weeks, weighing just 1 kg; almost immediately she was abandoned by her natural mother.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 18th February 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Judge blocks ‘worrying’ attempt to take girl away from blind adoptive mother – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 18th, 2013 in adoption, carers, disabled persons, injunctions, local government, news, social services by sally

“A council has been blocked from removing a girl from her would-be adoptive mother who had gone blind, after a judge ruled social workers were wrong to assume that her visual impairment meant she was not a suitable parent.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 15th February 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Government plans for radical overhaul of family law would do little to help improve lives of vulnerable children, warn charities – The Independent

“Charities warned that Government plans for a radical overhaul of family law including the introduction of shared parental leave would do little to help improve the lives of the most vulnerable children.”

Full story

The Independent, 5th February 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Adoption process is being rushed by councils, say judges – The Guardian

Posted November 19th, 2012 in adoption, children, fostering, local government, news by sally

“Children in care are being threatened with separation from siblings and other family members because local authorities are attempting to rush through inappropriate and premature adoptions, high court judges have told the Guardian.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th November 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Upper Tribunal confirms illegality of Catholic Charity’s ban on same-sex couple adoption – UK Human Rights Blog

“A private adoption agency could not justify its exclusion of same-sex prospective parents by arguing that this policy would keep open a source of funding that would otherwise dry up and reduce the number of adoption placements.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 3rd November 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Consultation on adoption and fostering welcomed by sector – Family Law Week

Posted September 20th, 2012 in adoption, carers, consultations, fostering, local government, news, social services by sally

“The British Association for Adoption & Fostering (BAAF) and Fostering Network have welcomed the Government’s newly published consultation on proposed changes to adoption and fostering.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 19th September 2012

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Babies to be fostered by adoption families under plans to save children disruption in early life – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 6th, 2012 in adoption, children, fostering, news by tracey

“David Cameron said new laws will mean it is ‘standard practice’  for babies to be looked after by approved adopters.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 6th July 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

DfE sets out key features of Children and Families Bill – Family Law Week

Posted May 10th, 2012 in adoption, bills, care orders, children, families, news, special educational needs by sally

“The Department for Education has set out the key features of the Children and Families Bill announced in the Queen’s Speech. The Bill is expected to be introduced early in 2013.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 9th May 2012

Source: www.familylawweek.com

AA (Somalia) v Entry Clearance Officer – WLR Daily

Posted May 4th, 2012 in adoption, asylum, children, law reports, sponsored immigrants by tracey

AA (Somalia) v Entry Clearance Officer: [2012] EWCA Civ 563;  [2012] WLR (D)  134

“Paragraph 352D of the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules, concerning the entitlement to entry clearance of a child seeking entry into the United Kingdom as a de facto adopted child of a sponsor who had previously been granted asylum as a refugee, did not extend to children who, neither adopted de jure nor de facto within the ambit of paragraph 309A of the Rules, could be styled as ‘adopted’ by reason of having become a child of the family.”

WLR Daily, 1st May 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Gregg and another v Pigott and others – WLR Daily

Posted April 2nd, 2012 in adoption, human rights, law reports, news, trusts by sally

Gregg and another v Pigott and others [2012] EWHC 732 (Ch); [2012] WLR (D) 104

“The phrase ‘statutory next of kin’ in an English settlement made in 1948 should be construed in such a way as to eliminate discrimination against adopted children by virtue of articles 8 and 14 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.”

WLR Daily, 29th March 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Adoption: Ofsted report says courts are biggest cause of delay – BBC News

Posted April 2nd, 2012 in adoption, courts, delay, local government, news, social services by sally

“The most significant cause of delay for children needing adoption in England is the length of time taken by court proceedings, a report by Ofsted says.”

Full story

BBC News, 2nd April 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Government publishes Action Plan for Adoption – Family Law Week

Posted March 15th, 2012 in adoption, news by sally

“The Government has published an Action Plan for Adoption to overhaul the system for prospective adopters and strengthen the performance regime for local authorities.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 14th March 2012

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Adoption process will be made fairer and faster, says David Cameron – The Guardian

Posted March 9th, 2012 in adoption, minorities, news by tracey

“Prime minister announces shakeup of rules, including moves to make it easier for white parents to adopt black children.”

Full story

The Guardian, 9th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk