Failure to prosecute over boy’s drowning in Welsh river ‘irrational’, court told – The Guardian

‘The decision not to prosecute a teenager accused of pushing a 13-year-old boy into a river was legally flawed and unreasonable or irrational, a court has heard.’

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The Guardian, 13th January 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ofsted withdraws ‘intrusive’ guidance for childminders to disclose depression – The Independent

Posted January 14th, 2022 in bereavement, children, disclosure, mental health, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘Ofsted has withdrawn guidance suggesting childminders should notify the watchdog if they have depression or have been bereaved following criticism that the requirement would be “intrusive”.’

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The Independent, 13th January 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

How can parents prioritise children during their separation? – Family Law Week

Posted January 13th, 2022 in children, divorce, families, mental health, news by sally

‘Swati Somaiya, partner and specialist family, collaborative and mediation lawyer at Excello Law, welcomes publication of Resolution’s Parenting through Separation and extols its wisdom for parents and lawyers alike.’

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Family Law Week, 12th January 2022

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

“Charlie’s law” proposed to allow parents to seek treatment for children abroad – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted January 11th, 2022 in bills, children, consent, medical treatment, news, parental rights by sally

‘A Private Members’ Bill before parliament which would allow parents of seriously ill children to seek treatment abroad is due to be debated this week. The Access to Palliative Care and Treatment of Children Bill 2019– 21 contains proposals to reform the law in response to recent high profile cases concerning the medical treatment of children (with specific reference to the case of Charlie Gard). The Bill, which has been tabled by palliative care professor Baroness Finlay, would stop judges making orders which prevent parents from taking their child abroad for treatment at any respected medical institution if there is no major risk of harm to them.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 10th January 2022

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Court of Protection authorises vaccination of autistic boy despite parental objections – Local Government Lawyer

‘The benefits of vaccination against Covid-19 for a child with autism, severe learning disability and asthma “significantly outweigh” the possible risks, the Court of Protection has found, despite objections from the boy’s parents.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 10th January 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Barry Bennell: Men lose case against Manchester City over abuse – BBC News

Posted January 10th, 2022 in child abuse, children, employment, news, sexual offences, sport, vicarious liability by sally

‘Eight men who sued Manchester City after saying they were abused by paedophile Barry Bennell more than 30 years ago have lost a High Court fight.’

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BBC News, 10th January 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Nationality and Borders Bill: many of the proposals will negatively affect children, not just those concerning them directly – EIN Blog

‘Hadia (22), Mubin (16), and Hasti (7) along with their mother Khazal were among the 27 people who died in the Channel in November 2021, trying to reach the UK. Other children and young people like them have attempted the dangerous crossing or have made it across the Channel, though we don’t know how many. While not the majority, children do make up a significant proportion of the asylum-seeking population. Between 2010 and 2020, 86,533 children claimed asylum in the UK, while children made up almost a quarter (23%) of UK asylum applicants and dependents during that time. Most (62,321) claimed asylum with their families, making up 17% of asylum seekers overall. The remaining 6% claimed asylum on their own as unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.’

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EIN Blog, 7th January 2022

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Ombudsman recommends county council pay nearly £7k after boy left without education for two years – Local Government Lawyer

‘A boy with special education needs who received “virtually no” education for two years should be given £6,900 in compensation by Suffolk County Council, an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has recommended.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 7th January 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

UK data watchdog seeks talks with Meta over child protection concerns -The Guardian

Posted January 10th, 2022 in children, data protection, internet, news, ombudsmen, privacy by sally

‘The UK’s data watchdog is seeking clarification from Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta about parental controls on its popular virtual reality headset, as campaigners warned that it could breach an online children’s safety code.’

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The Guardian, 9th January 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

London borough’s housing allocation policy in breach of Equality Act, Ombudsman finds – Local Government Lawyer

‘A mother of two disabled children has successfully brought a complaint against Greenwich Council after a Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigation found the local authority’s social housing allocation policy disadvantaged the family.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 6th January 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Children: Public Law Update (Winter 2022) – Family Law Week

‘John Tughan QC of 4PB considers recent judgments that public law child lawyers need to know about.’

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Family Law Week, 7th January 2022

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Home Office to introduce scientific methods for assessing the age of asylum seekers – Home Office

Posted January 7th, 2022 in asylum, children, government departments, immigration, news by sally

‘The Home Secretary has announced that the Home Office is establishing a new Scientific Advisory Committee to provide advice on ways of checking how old an asylum seeker is.’

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Home Office, 5th January 2022

Source: www.gov.uk

Man handed life sentence for attacking girlfriend and killing her unborn baby – The Independent

‘A man has been handed a life sentence for attacking his girlfriend and killing her unborn child.’

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The Independent, 6th January 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Barry Bennell: Victim secures settlement from holiday park – BBC News

‘A man groomed by paedophile Barry Bennell while on holiday at Butlin’s has secured a five-figure settlement from the company’s previous owners.’

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BBC News, 5th January 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Dewsbury couple jailed after police child sex offences sting – BBC News

‘A sex offender caught trying to meet children in an undercover police sting has been jailed for 12 years.’

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BBC News, 20th December 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Doctors up in arms over ‘pre-conception negligence’ ruling – Legal Futures

Posted December 20th, 2021 in birth, children, damages, disabled persons, doctors, health, negligence, news, pregnancy by sally

‘Hundreds of doctors around the country, along with representative organisations, have spoken out over the High Court finding a GP negligent for advice given to a mother before conception which led to the birth of a disabled child.’

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Legal Futures, 20th December 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Appeal judges consider legal row over Silverdale ‘stink’ landfill site – The Independent

Posted December 15th, 2021 in appeals, children, environmental health, hazardous substances, health, news, waste by sally

‘Appeal judges are considering a legal fight centred on a landfill site which locals say gives off noxious gases and stinks.’

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The Independent, 14th December 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Star Hobson verdict: mother’s girlfriend found guilty of murdering toddler – The Guardian

‘A “cunning and clever” woman has been found guilty of murdering her girlfriend’s toddler daughter after being caught on CCTV “terrorising” the child when she was left to babysit.’

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The Guardian, 14th December 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

High Court can still authorise deprivation of liberty of child in unregistered home in “imperative conditions of necessity”: Court of Appeal – Local Government Lawyer

‘The statutory scheme established by Section 22C of the Children Act 1989 does not allow unregistered placements, but does not expressly prohibit them, and in cases where conditions of imperative necessity require a child to be placed in such a setting, common law steps in and allows the High Court to exercise its inherent jurisdiction to authorise a deprivation of liberty, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 13th December 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Serious sexual offender sentenced to 32 years after being found guilty of 158 offences – Crown Prosecution Service

‘An online blackmailer who forced children to engage in sexual activity and sold that material on has been sentenced to 32 years today (10 December 2021) at Birmingham Crown Court.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 10th December 2021

Source: www.cps.gov.uk