Father loses right to care for baby son after social services raise alarm over his ‘risky’ use of apps ‘for the purposes of sexual intercourse’ – Daily Telegraph

‘A 29-year-old unemployed man who wanted to care for his baby son has lost a family court fight after social workers complained about him meeting women online for sex.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 5th July 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

For child asylum seekers turning 18 is a time of fear not celebration – The Guardian

Posted June 14th, 2016 in asylum, care orders, children, immigration, local government, news by sally

‘When unaccompanied asylum-seeking children turn 18 their support can be completely cut off – no matter how long they have been in the UK.’

Full story

The Guardian, 14th June 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Children of woman jailed for Syria plot will live with relatives – The Guardian

Posted May 27th, 2016 in care orders, children, families, news, terrorism by tracey

‘Three children whose British Muslim mother has been jailed after planning a move to an area of Syria controlled by Islamic State are to live with relatives pending decisions about their long-term future, a high court judge has been told.’

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The Guardian, 26th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Council to pay £17,500 damages to 14 year old for human rights breaches – Local Government Lawyer

‘A High Court judge has ordered a county council to pay £17,500 in damages to a 14-year-old girl in care for breaches of her human rights.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 17th May 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

What’s really in the bests interests of children from other European countries involved in care proceedings? – Family Law Week

‘Sarah Phillimore, barrister, of St John’s Chambers considers the ‘best interests’ test under Article 15 of Brussels IIR in the light of the Supreme Court’s judgment in Re N.’

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Family Law Week, 6th May 2016

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Judge rules teenager in Rochdale must give up baby – BBC News

Posted May 6th, 2016 in adoption, care orders, news, pregnancy by tracey

‘A teenager who became pregnant after being placed into council care must give up her baby, a family court judge in Leeds has ruled.’

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BBC News, 6th May 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Mother who tried to move family to Syria ordered to give up children – The Guardian

Posted May 4th, 2016 in care orders, children, families, family courts, Islam, news, terrorism by tracey

‘The high court has ruled that the three children of a Leicester woman who tried to take them to Isis-controlled territory must live with their grandmother.’

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The Guardian, 3rd May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Part 25 Applications – The theory and the practice – Family Law Week

‘Marie Crawford, barrister, Becket Chambers considers the disconnection between theory and practice in making applications to adduce expert evidence.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 21st April 2016

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Senior childcare lawyer warns of pressures from “remorseless” rise in cases – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 19th, 2016 in care orders, children, local government, news, social services by sally

‘A significant rise in public law children cases is putting more pressure on social workers and child care lawyers, all of whom are experiencing significant budgetary cutbacks, a senior local authority lawyer has warned.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 18th April 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Council wins battle over mother’s bid to name twins ‘Cyanide’ and ‘Preacher’ – Local Government Lawyer

‘A local authority has won a Court of Appeal battle with a mother over her desire to name her twin children ‘Cyanide’ and ‘Preacher’.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th April 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

No child transfer to the EU under Article 15 BIIR without a best interests analysis of its effects on the child – Family Law Week

‘Roger McCarthy QC and Mark Twomey, barrister, of Coram Chambers address the central point of the Supreme Court’s judgment in Re N (Children) [2016] UKSC 15.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 13th April 2016

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Angela Wrightson murder: Two girls guilty of killing woman in brutal attack in her own home – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 6th, 2016 in care orders, murder, news, young offenders by tracey

‘Two schoolgirls who took selfie pictures as they tortured and killed a frail alcoholic in her own home had run away from local authority care 18 times in the month leading up to the killing, it has emerged.

After the guilty verdicts were delivered, Hartlepool Council announced the launch of a serious case review to establish if more could have been done to prevent the out of control pair carrying out the appalling murder.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 5th April 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Guidance issued on s. 20 Children Act amid fears councils could misinterpret law – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 5th, 2016 in care orders, children, local government, news, placement orders by sally

‘Cafcass, the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) and ADSS Cymru have published guidance aimed at clarifying the expectations on local authorities for children looked after under s. 20 of the Children Act 1989.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 4th April 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

In re JL and AO (Babies Relinquished for Adoption) – WLR Daily

In re JL and AO (Babies Relinquished for Adoption): [2016] EWHC 440 (Fam)

‘In two cases babies, JL and AO, were born in England to mothers from Eastern Europe but relinquished at birth for adoption. In the case of JL the child, whose Estonian mother worked in England and whose putative father lived in Estonia, was accommodated by the local authority with the mother’s consent pursuant to an agreement under section 20 of the Children Act 1989 and was placed with foster carers. The mother gave her written consent to his adoption and the putative father, maternal family and the Estonian authorities all supported his adoption in this country. The local authority sought a placement order under section 21 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002. In the case of AO, the Hungarian parents working in England wished the child to be adopted in this country. AO had been removed at birth and placed with foster carers and had been made a ward of court. The local authority, children’s guardian and Hungarian authorities sought the child’s return to Hungary so that she could be placed for adoption there. Common issues arose as to what jurisdiction the court had to make orders facilitating such placements, (ii) the factors which had to be taken into account when making decisions about relinquished babies, the possible outcomes and the procedures to be followed and (iii) where a child born to nationals of a foreign country had been placed voluntarily in the care of a local authority, with a view to adoption or otherwise, whether the authority was under an obligation under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963 to inform the consular officials of that country about the placement. In the case of JL, the further issues arose whether the court had jurisdiction to make a placement order and what order, if any, should be made. In the case of AO, the further issues arose whether it was open to the court either to transfer jurisdiction to Hungary under Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 (“Brussels IIA”) or to make an order permitting the local authority to send AO to Hungary; and what order, if any, the court should make.’

WLR Daily, 3rd March 2016

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Judicial involvement in pre-proceedings for care cases to be piloted: top judge – Local Government Lawyer

‘Schemes for judicial and CAFCASS involvement in the pre-proceedings phase of some types of care case will be piloted in selected courts shortly, the President of the Family Division has said.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 1st March 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

‘Shaken’ baby might return to parents – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 26th, 2016 in care orders, children, news, social services by sally

‘Plainly exhausted’ mother probably shook baby in ‘momentary loss of control’, judge concludes.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 25th January 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Whistleblower judge: austerity policies have made courts dangerous – The Guardian

‘A district judge who is suing the Ministry of Justice after whistleblowing her complaints about courtroom dangers – death threats, violent claimants and hostage-taking – has spoken out for the first time about her experience of an under-resourced justice system.’

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government to change adoption law to address fall in court orders – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 19th, 2016 in adoption, care orders, children, news, social services by sally

‘The Government is to change the law to make prioritising lifelong stability for vulnerable children with a loving family a legal requirement, the Department for Education has said.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 18th January 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

More children to be removed from biological parents and placed for adoption under ‘urgent’ new rules – The Independent

Posted January 14th, 2016 in adoption, care orders, children, news by sally

‘More children will be removed from their biological parents and placed for adoption, under “urgent” new rules to be announced by ministers.’

Full story

The Independent, 14th January 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Family judge criticised for not naming council that breached father’s rights – The Guardian

‘A family court judge has come under fire after refusing to name a council that violated a man’s parental rights by taking his four-year-old daughter into care without a proper investigation.’

Full story

The Guardian, 10th January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk