School’s failure to monitor internet use contributed to teenage girl’s suicide, coroner rules – The Independent

‘A school’s failure to sufficiently monitor the internet activity of an autistic teenage girl “contributed” to her suicide, a coroner has concluded.’

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The Independent, 7th October 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Calls for employment law change as parents routinely forced to use holiday leave to look after sick children – The Independent

Posted October 8th, 2021 in children, employment, families, holidays, news, sick leave by tracey

‘Parents are being forced to use holiday leave to look after their children when they get sick, a new study has found.’

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The Independent, 7th October 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Lilly Hanrahan: Case review finds missed chances to check on killer – BBC News

‘Authorities’ failure to share details about a man before he murdered a girl in his partner’s care “contributed” to her death.’

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BBC News, 5th October 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

If my child is British, can I stay in the UK? – EIN Blog

Posted October 4th, 2021 in children, families, immigration, news, parental responsibility, visas by tracey

‘If you are a foreign national with a British child and have made the decision to move to the UK, it is vital that you understand the immigration options available to you. Under the UK’s immigration rules, the principal visa route for foreign nationals who want to join their family members is outlined in detail in Appendix FM (FM stands for “family members”). This popular immigration route is intended for anyone who wishes to come to the UK on the basis of their family life with a British national or a person who has settled permanently in the UK. In this article, we will explain how a foreign national with a British child can stay in the UK by applying through the family member (FM) route.’

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EIN Blog, 1st October 2021

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Charlie Webster: Coaches’ suspected child abuse must be reported – Daily Telegraph

‘The Government is under mounting pressure to introduce mandatory reporting of suspected child sexual abuse after the broadcaster Charlie Webster was contacted by thousands of people within a week of her documentary into athletics.’

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Daily Telegraph, 3rd October 2021

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

High Court judge approves bespoke placement in case where he had declined to authorise continued deprivation of liberty of 12 year old in psychiatric admissions unit – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 1st, 2021 in care homes, children, detention, hospitals, local government, mental health, news by tracey

‘A High Court judge who last week refused to exercise the inherent jurisdiction to authorise the continued deprivation of the liberty of a 12-year-old child (LT) in an acute psychiatric admission unit for adolescents, has since authorised her deprivation of liberty in an empty children’s home found by the local authority, it has emerged.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 29th September 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Government faces legal challenge from pupil with SEN over “unfair” use of PCR testing in schools – Local Government Lawyer

‘The parents of a 15-year-old pupil with special educational needs and disabilities have instructed lawyers to challenge the lawfulness of government guidance to schools on Covid-19 testing, arguing that it should be urgently revised to enable pupils with disabilities to take less intrusive saliva tests.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 28th September 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Judge refuses to authorise deprivation of liberty of vulnerable 12-year-old girl in acute psychiatric admissions unit, despite lack of alternative accommodation – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 29th, 2021 in children, detention, hospitals, housing, local government, mental health, news by sally

‘A High Court judge has declined to find that it was in the best interests of a 12-year-old girl (LT), who does not have a psychiatric condition requiring hospitalisation, to be deprived of her liberty on an acute psychiatric admission unit.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 28th September 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

“Let the Doctors Decide” – UK Human Rights Blog

‘In Bell and A v Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust and others [2021] EWCA Civ 1363 the Court of Appeal advised judges to avoid formulating policy in an area of social and moral complexity.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 27th September 2021

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Ex-Rochdale footballer jailed for 24 years for child rapes – BBC News

‘A footballer has been jailed for 24 years for “gruesome” sex attacks on six victims as young as seven.’

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BBC News, 27th September 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Gillick competence, puberty-blockers and the Court of Appeal – Local Government Lawyer

‘Alex Ruck Keene examines the Court of Appeal’s ruling in the high-profile case on referrals for the prescription of puberty-blockers to children and young people under 18.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 24th September 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Fear of more baby deaths as ministers stand firm on jailing pregnant women – The Guardian

‘Experts have warned that more babies could die in prison owing to the government’s expansion of female prison places and ministers’ refusal to grant multiple requests to end the incarceration of pregnant women.’

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The Guardian, 23rd September 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘My whole world was falling apart’: Father of teenager prosecuted for neo-Nazi terror offences speaks of shock – The Independent

Posted September 20th, 2021 in children, families, news, rehabilitation, terrorism, young offenders by tracey

‘Steve* and his 16-year-old son Tom* were about to fly out of the UK to a family funeral when they heard their names being read out over the public address system at Bristol Airport. They had arrived early to have some food and leave plenty of time before their flight, just two days after receiving news of a loved one’s death. “They just said, ‘Would you please go to gate number one’, which wasn’t our gate,” Steve tells The Independent. “We went there and there were police officers, and they explained they were doing a Schedule 7 port stop under the Terrorism Act.” The power is used at UK borders to stop people entering or leaving the country, and “determine whether they are involved in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism”.’

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The Independent, 19th September 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Ruling limiting under-16s puberty blockers overturned – BBC News

Posted September 17th, 2021 in children, consent, gender, medical treatment, news, transgender persons by tracey

‘Doctors can judge if under-16s can give informed consent to puberty blocker use, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

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BBC News, 17th September 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Mother wins court case over Staffordshire landfill site emissions – BBC News

Posted September 17th, 2021 in children, environmental health, government departments, health, news, waste by tracey

‘A mother has won a High Court battle over the regulation of a landfill site accused of emitting noxious gases that risk shortening her son’s life.’

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BBC News, 16th September 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Covid teams can vaccinate pupils against parents’ wishes, schools told – The Guardian

Posted September 16th, 2021 in children, consent, coronavirus, news, school children, vaccination by tracey

‘Healthcare staff can decide whether children get a Covid vaccine against the wishes of their parents, according to government guidelines published on Wednesday that left some headteachers fearing protests at the school gates.’

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The Guardian, 15th September 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Chertsey: Zane Gbangbola flood death site ‘to be investigated’ – BBC News

‘Investigations at a former landfill site behind a house where a seven-year-old boy died are to take place as soon as possible, councillors have said.’

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BBC News, 15th September 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judge hands down ruling on children under 16, deprivations of liberty and inherent jurisdiction after amendment of statutory scheme for placements – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 14th, 2021 in children, deprivation of liberty safeguards, jurisdiction, local government, news by tracey

‘It remains open to the High Court to authorise, under its inherent jurisdiction, the deprivation of liberty of a child under the age of 16 where the placement in which the restrictions that are the subject of that authorisation will be applied is prohibited by the terms of the amended statutory scheme introduced by the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2021, a High Court judge has ruled.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 13th September 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Inquest delays: Three-year wait for answers over death of girl, 4 – BBC News

Posted September 13th, 2021 in bereavement, children, coronavirus, delay, inquests, Ministry of Justice, news, statistics by tracey

‘A mum whose four-year-old daughter died with sepsis says waiting more than three years for her inquest has added to her grief.’

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BBC News, 12th September 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Parental alienation in practice – Transparency Project

Posted September 9th, 2021 in child arrangements orders, children, contact orders, divorce, news by sally

‘It is not uncommon to hear the phrase “parental alienation” in family courts in England and Wales. It is a term used to describe all manner of sins, ranging from minor parenting disputes to broad, unmitigated emotional and psychological harm to children. There has been much, and continues to be much, use of the phrase in discussions around the various issues facing the family courts and the appropriateness of the judicial remedies available to counteract it.’

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Transparency Project, 7th September 2021

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk