Austerity contributing to rise in children in care – head of Family Court – BBC News

‘Austerity has contributed to a rise in the number of children in care, the most senior judge in the family courts has told the BBC.’

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BBC News, 29th January 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

High Court judge gives guidance on use of intermediaries in Family Court – Local Government Lawyer

‘The High Court has given guidance on the use of intermediaries in the Family Court, in a case concerning a 2-and-a-half year old girl, which was in week 127 at the hearing last month.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th January 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court of Appeal moves to reaffirm “wide and flexible powers” of family court in care case – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has allowed a Guardian’s appeal against a family judge’s conclusion that she did not have jurisdiction to grant an injunction.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 12th January 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Interim removal of children – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 8th, 2024 in appeals, care orders, children, drug abuse, families, local government, news by tracey

‘A recent Court of Appeal authority is a useful case for family practitioners to have in their toolkit, particularly those representing parents facing applications for interim removal of their children, writes Malvika Jaganmohan.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 5th January 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Council granted leave to make application for change in forename of child, subject to outcome of care order application – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 16th, 2023 in care orders, children, families, local government, names, news by sally

‘The High Court has granted leave to a local authority to make an application to change an eight-month old’s registered forename.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 16th November 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court of Appeal allows appeal by father over interim care order – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 9th, 2023 in appeals, care orders, children, drug abuse, families, local government, mental health, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has allowed a father’s appeal against interim care orders made in respect of his three children.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 8th November 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Discharge of care orders – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 13th, 2023 in care orders, children, families, local government, news by tracey

‘Dr Jo Staines, Dr Jessica Roy and Dr Beth Stone of the University of Bristol set out the issues that arise when applications are made by parents for the discharge of care orders in England and Wales.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 13th October 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court of Appeal allows appeal by council in case where fact-finding process in care proceedings “went wrong” – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal by a local authority and remitted for rehearing a case concerning findings of fact in care proceedings.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 10th October 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Childhood in care raises risk of entering English youth justice system eightfold – The Guardian

Posted September 21st, 2023 in care orders, children, criminal records, news, statistics, young offenders, youth courts by sally

‘The largest ever study of care experience and the youth justice system in England has revealed that children who have lived in care are eight times more likely to have received a youth justice caution or conviction than those who have not.’

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The Guardian, 21st September 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Charity wins appeal over Government refusal to disclose analysis carried out by Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 14th, 2023 in appeals, care orders, child abuse, child neglect, government departments, news by tracey

‘A group that campaigns for the welfare of children in institutional settings has won an appeal that will require the Department for Education (DfE) to release analysis of incidents where children became looked after as a result of abuse or neglect.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 14th September 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court of Appeal sets aside circuit judge’s “plainly irregular” ruling – Legal Futures

Posted September 1st, 2023 in appeals, care orders, children, families, family courts, judges, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has set aside a circuit judge’s ruling in public law children proceedings after describing his decision as “plainly irregular”.’

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Legal Futures, 1st September 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Court of Appeal rules on “hot potato” issue of decision between care order, supervision order or no order when child placed at home – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal by a mother and made supervision orders in place of care orders for all three of her children, who are placed at home.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 8th August 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Judge was wrong to allow 14-year-old boy in care proceedings instruct own solicitor, Court of Appeal rules – Local Government Lawyer

Posted August 1st, 2023 in care orders, children, family courts, legal representation, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has allowed a mother’s appeal against an order permitting a 14-year-old boy in care proceedings to instruct his own solicitor.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 31st July 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Judge wrong to let 14-year-old boy instruct solicitor – Legal Futures

Posted July 27th, 2023 in care orders, children, family courts, legal representation, news by sally

‘A family court judge was wrong to order that a 14-year-old boy be allowed to instruct his own solicitor in care proceedings, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 27th July 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Court of Appeal finds deficient reasoning from Family Court judge when making findings of fact – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has set aside a family court judgment, after finding an “absence of recorded analysis” in the oral judgment that was delivered in only an hour.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 18th July 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court of Appeal finds recorder was wrong to decide there was no necessity for psychological assessment – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal by a mother against care and placement orders made in respect of her son, after finding the recorder was wrong to decide that there was “no necessity for a psychological assessment”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th July 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Father in UK charged with rape made party to child’s care proceedings – The Guardian

‘A father without parental responsibility who has been charged with two counts of rape – and amid an allegation his son was conceived of rape – has won an appeal to be made party to care proceedings concerning the boy.’

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The Guardian, 25th June 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judge criticises fundamental errors in childcare case after earlier ruling ignored – Local Government Lawyer

Posted May 9th, 2023 in care orders, case management, judgments, local government, news by sally

‘Her Honour Judge Madeleine Reardon has highlighted “fundamental errors” made in the preparation and presentation of a childcare case, in which a previous judgment given by the court was “completely ignored”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 5th May 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Family members taking on vulnerable children to receive better legal support – Ministry of Justice

‘Extended family members seeking to provide long-term, stable care for vulnerable children will be able to access free legal advice, thanks to new government investment announced today (30 April 2023).’

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Ministry of Justice, 1st May 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Legal aid widened but grandparents ‘will fall through justice gap’ – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The scope of legal aid has been widened to family and friends applying to look after a vulnerable child – however, the Law Society says the changes do not go far enough.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 2nd May 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk