Judge criticises ‘inhuman’ separation of elderly couples – BBC News

Posted May 10th, 2017 in care homes, cohabitation, elderly, judges, married persons, news, social services by sally

‘Separating elderly couples against their wishes when one or both move to care homes must end, Britain’s most senior family judge has said.’

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BBC News, 10th May 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Teenage boy given court care plan to stop him ‘waging jihad’ in Syria – The Guardian

‘A 17-year-old boy whose two older brothers were killed “waging jihad” in Syria is to be protected by a special care plan designed to keep him from following in their footsteps, the high court has been told.’

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The Guardian, 9th May 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

High Court to rule on Christian student declared unfit to practice as a social worker because of ‘traditional’ views on homosexuality – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 26th, 2017 in Christianity, homosexuality, judicial review, news, social services by sally

‘The High Court will rule on whether Christians who express “traditional” views on homosexuality can be barred from gaining professional qualifications after a social work student won the right to challenge his expulsion.’

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Daily Telegraph, 25th April 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Child victims of sexual abuse in families let down by system: report – The Guardian

‘Child victims of sexual abuse within families are being let down by the system, the children’s commissioner for England has said.’

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The Guardian, 20th April 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Disguised Compliance – Or Undisguised Nonsense? – Family Law Week

Posted April 19th, 2017 in families, legal language, news, social services by tracey

‘Paul Hart, barrister of 15 Winckley Square, discusses a term (and its appropriateness) which has become ubiquitous in social work statements in recent years.’

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Family Law Week, 10th April 2017

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Shanay Walker abuse death: School and care workers criticised – BBC News

Posted April 13th, 2017 in child abuse, child cruelty, education, news, social services by sally

‘Teachers and social care staff did not show enough “professional curiosity” in a girl who died after years of abuse by her aunt, a serious case review said.’

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BBC News, 13th April 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Mentally ill mother who jumped off cliff with newborn did not get help from medics because she was ‘articulate’ and ‘middle class’, review finds – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 7th, 2017 in hospitals, mental health, news, pregnancy, social services, suicide by tracey

‘A mother who jumped off a cliff with her newborn daughter was failed by medics because she was “articulate” and “middle class”, a review has found.’

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Daily Telegraph, 6th April 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Dove v Havering LBC – Arden Chambers

‘The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal against a decision that two joint tenants had lost security of tenure under the Housing Act 1985 because they no longer occupied the property as their only or principal home.’

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Arden Chambers, 16th March 2017

Source: www.ardenchambers.com

Independent Reviewing Officers – myths and misunderstandings continue – Family Law Week

‘Professor Jonathan Dickens, University of East Anglia, Norwich, considers some of the strengths and limitations of the IRO service, drawing on recent debates and the findings of a research study conducted between 2012-14.’

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Family Law Week, 6th April 2017

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Child locked locked in bedroom by grandparents is taken into care – Daily Telegraph

‘A child was taken away from her grandparents and put into foster care after they locked her in her room overnight.’

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Daily Telegraph, 2nd April 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

MPs slam funding crisis and ‘postcode lottery’ of children’s services – The Guardian

Posted March 21st, 2017 in children, local government, news, parliament, reports, social services by tracey

‘Children’s social services are being engulfed by a funding crisis in which nine out of 10 local authorities are struggling to meet their legal duties and families face a postcode lottery, a damning report has concluded.’

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The Guardian, 20th March 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Migrant teachers and nurses face overseas crime checks – BBC News

Posted March 17th, 2017 in criminal records, disclosure, news, nurses, social services, teachers, visas by tracey

‘Teachers, nurses and social workers from outside the European Union are set to face criminal record checks before being allowed to work in the UK.’

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BBC News, 16th March 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Essex agrees payouts, review of foster care placement terminations after LGO report – Local Government Lawyer

‘Essex County Council social workers moved a vulnerable teenager from her aunt and uncle’s care without warning, and then failed to follow the statutory children’s complaints process, the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) has said.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th March 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk/

Benefit claimants twice as likely to experience multiple legal problems, according to MoJ study – Legal Voice

Posted March 9th, 2017 in benefits, law centres, legal aid, news, social services, victims by sally

‘People receiving means-tested benefits were twice as likely to experience multiple legal problems as those who did not, according to new research by the Ministry of Justice. It also found that almost one in four black and minority ethnic adults received no help in relation to their legal problems compared with 15% of white adults.’

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Legal Voice, 7th March 2017

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Association of Lawyers for Children hits out at Cafcass/ADCS agreement – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Association of Lawyers for Children (ALC) has said it is “deeply concerned” by a recent agreement entered into by Cafcass and the Association of Directors of Children’s Services.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 3rd March 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Social worker loses appeal over ruling by judge that she improperly altered records – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 3rd, 2017 in appeals, care orders, news, social services by tracey

‘The Family Court has dismissed an appeal by a social worker against a finding that she improperly altered records concerning children in care proceedings.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 1st March 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

County council defends High Court challenge to cut to personal budget – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 2nd, 2017 in budgets, carers, disabled persons, local government, news, social services by sally

‘A county council has defended a High Court challenge to its decisions to reduce a severely disabled man’s personal budget and revise his care and support plan.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 28th February 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Cloisters column part two – ‘Premature Labelling? A child-centred approach to questions of gender identity’ – Cloisters

Posted February 22nd, 2017 in care orders, children, family courts, gender, news, social services, transgender persons by sally

‘This is part two of a two-part series on trans rights from leading equality and human rights barrister Claire McCann at Cloisters. Part one explores toilets and gender identity.’

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Cloisters, 14th February 2017

Source: www.cloisters.com

How is the PLO working? What is its impact on court process and outcome? – Family Law Week

‘The last five years have brought important reforms to care proceedings. The Judiciary made proposals for modernising family justice with a focus on strong judicial leadership, judicial continuity and better case management.2 The Family Justice Review3 recommended that the duration of care proceedings should be limited to 26 weeks, that fewer experts should be instructed in proceedings and there should be more limited scrutiny of the care plan, with the court considering only the plan for permanency (care by the parents(s), placement in the extended family, long-term fostering, or adoption) and not matters such as services for the child and contact arrangements. The Review’s recommendations were enacted in the Children and Families Act 2014, supplemented by new procedural rules (the PLO 2014) and implemented on April 22, 2014. This date also marked the opening of the Family Court, replacing the triple jurisdiction of the Family Proceedings Court, the County Court and the High Court. ‘

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Family Law Week, 17th February 2017

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

The boy who watched IS beheading videos – BBC News

‘What leads a young child to stand up in front of his class and tell his school friends that he agrees with the aims and objectives of the so-called Islamic State?’

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BBC News, 14th February 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk