Ex-student police officer jailed for sending sexual messages to young girl – The Independent

‘A former student police officer has been jailed for sending sexual messages and explicit images of himself to a nine-year-old girl.’

Full Story

The Independent, 2nd February 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Hunter Mathias murder: Father jailed for life for killing infant son – BBC News

‘A father who shook his nine-week-old baby to death during a “momentary” loss of temper has been jailed for life.’

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BBC News, 2nd February 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Mobile phones and deprivations of liberty – Local Government Lawyer

‘Is depriving a person of their mobile phone depriving them of their liberty? That was the very 21st century question confronting a High Court judge recently. Whilst his analysis concerned the position of a 16 year old, his conclusions apply equally to adults, writes Alex Ruck Keene KC (Hon).’

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Local Government Lawyer, 31st January 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court of Appeal judge admits concern at “tortuous” process following fact-finding hearing in care proceedings but dismisses appeal – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 1st, 2023 in appeals, care orders, child cruelty, children, families, local government, news by sally

‘A Court of Appeal judge has dismissed a mother’s appeal in care proceedings, despite expressing a number of concerns “about the prolonged and tortuous process that followed the fact-finding hearing”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 31st January 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ex-West Midlands Police officer admits sex offences against girl he met online – BBC News

‘A former police officer has admitted sexual offences against a vulnerable 13-year-old girl he met online.’

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BBC News, 31st January 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judge lambasts education secretary over lack of secure places for children – The Guardian

‘The country’s most senior family judge has accused the education secretary of “complacency bordering on cynicism” in a scathing judgment that deplores the lack of secure, therapeutic placements in England and Wales for scores of children with complex needs at risk of taking their own lives.’

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The Guardian, 31st January 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judge finds threshold met on facts before the Court despite all parties considering it was not – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 27th, 2023 in care orders, children, families, fostering, local government, news by sally

‘A High Court judge has found the threshold was crossed for the making of a care order for a 14-year-old girl, despite all parties thinking it was not met.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 27th January 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Paedophile given custody of girl he then abused and got pregnant – BBC News

‘A young girl who became pregnant after abuse by a convicted paedophile had been placed in his care despite authorities knowing his past, a report has revealed.’

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BBC News, 26th January 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Does a child born to an EU national exercising free movement rights automatically acquire British citizenship? – EIN Blog

Posted January 25th, 2023 in brexit, children, citizenship, EC law, families, freedom of movement, immigration, news by sally

‘On 20 January 2023, Eyre J (“the judge”) handed down judgment in R (Roehrig) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2023] EWHC 31 (Admin). The judge dismissed the claim. The challenge raised questions of statutory interpretation of the British Nationality Act 1981 (“the BNA 1981”) and the interrelationship between that statutory scheme and the status of EU nationals exercising free movement rights before Brexit. The judgment is likely to have significant consequences for a cohort of individuals claiming British citizenship on the basis of being born in the UK to EU nationals exercising free movement rights.’

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EIN Blog, 24th January 2023

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Met Safer Schools officer pleads guilty to child sex offences – BBC News

‘A serving Met Police officer who was posted in a school in north London has pleaded guilty to child sex offences.’

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BBC News, 25th January 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Child-friendly Control Orders? Why Child-specific Counter-terrorism Measures are Both Unnecessary and Dangerous – Oxford Human Rights Hub

‘The new year brought with it news that ministers in the UK are considering new counter-terrorism measures that specifically target children. Concerned at the growing number of children – particularly teenagers – being arrested for non-violent and online-based terrorism offences that can have a stigmatising and permanent effect on their records, the UK’s Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation Jonathan Hall KC proposed new non-criminal counter-terrorism alternatives that are especially tailored towards children under the age of 17.’

Full Story

Oxford Human Rights Hub, 23rd January 2023

Source: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

Girl who had limbs amputated after hospital mistake wins seven-figure payout – The Independent

Posted January 23rd, 2023 in children, compensation, families, health, hospitals, negligence, news, personal injuries by sally

‘A girl who had all four of her limbs amputated after she was wrongfully discharged from hospital has won a multimillion-pound payout.’

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The Independent, 22nd January 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Revealed: scores of child asylum seekers kidnapped from Home Office hotel – The Guardian

‘Dozens of asylum-seeking children have been kidnapped by gangs from a Brighton hotel run by the Home Office in a pattern apparently being repeated across the south coast, an Observer investigation can reveal.’

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The Guardian, 21st January 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Children law update – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 20th, 2023 in appeals, children, families, family courts, local government, news by sally

‘Michael Jones discusses a wide range of recent children law rulings from the Court of Appeal and the Family Division.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th January 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Media get the go-ahead to report family proceedings – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Journalists will be able to report on family court proceedings for the first time as part of a new pilot in a “big cultural change” to the Family Division. The hope is that the Transparency Reporting Pilot, to be conducted at three courts, will improve transparency and accountability.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 19th January 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

People born of rape now recognised in Victims’ Code in England and Wales – The Guardian

Posted January 20th, 2023 in bills, children, families, Ministry of Justice, news, pregnancy, rape, sexual offences, victims by sally

‘A woman conceived through rape, who has campaigned for a change in the law to recognise people like herself as victims, is celebrating after achieving her goal. The government has announced that the victims’ bill will extend the definition of a “victim” to include people who are born as a result of rape. It means England and Wales will be among the first in the world to officially confer victim status to children born of rape.’

Full press release

Full Story

The Guardian, 19th January 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Court of Appeal confirms s20 voluntary accommodation agreements can be used for settled long-term placements – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 19th, 2023 in care orders, children, local government, news by sally

‘The Court of appeal has allowed two appeals which concerned the interplay between care orders and the voluntary accommodation of children under section 20 of the Children Act 1989.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 18th January 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Illegal vapes are biggest threat on High Street, say Trading Standards – BBC News

Posted January 19th, 2023 in advertising, children, health, news, smoking, standards, trading standards by sally

‘Shops selling illegal vapes and the sale of vaping products to children are the top threats on the UK’s High Streets, according to Trading Standards officials.’

Full Story

BBC News, 19th January 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Sudden unexplained death in childhood debated in Parliament – BBC News

Posted January 18th, 2023 in bereavement, children, families, news, parliament by sally

‘The issue of children dying unexpectedly and without any known cause has been debated in Parliament for the first time.’

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BBC News, 17th January 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Tech bosses face jail if children not kept safe online after UK parliament deal – The Guardian

Posted January 17th, 2023 in amendments, bills, children, internet, news, prosecutions by sally

‘Tech executives whose platforms persistently fail to protect children from online harm will face criminal charges after ministers reached a deal with Conservative backbenchers.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 16th January 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com