Mother who let her two boys sleep in her bed has them taken away by judge – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 13th, 2017 in adoption, children, family courts, news, private hearings, social services by sally

‘A mother who allowed her two children to sleep in her bed has had them taken away from her by a family court judge after social workers raised concerns.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 12th February 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Police force which lost vital evidence into toddler Poppi Worthington’s death, failed other youngsters too, watchdog reveals – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 26th, 2017 in children, evidence, news, police, reports, social services by tracey

‘A “troubled” police force heavily criticised after the death of 13-month-old Poppi Worthington needs “immediate” improvement in order to protect children, watchdogs have said.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 26th January 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Child Contact Interventions: An Underused Resource – Family Law Week

Posted January 12th, 2017 in children, contact orders, news, social services by tracey

‘Gabrielle Jan Posner, barrister of Trinity Chambers, Chelmsford, argues for the greater use of child contact interventions in appropriate circumstances.’

Full story

Family Law week, 11th January 2017

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Poppy Widdison: Agencies missed chances to protect drugged girl – BBC News

Posted January 12th, 2017 in child cruelty, children, drug abuse, news, reports, social services by tracey

‘Agencies missed several chances to protect a girl who died after being fed drugs by her mother, a serious case review has found.’

Full story

BBC News, 11th January 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Bonfire of children’s rights’ Bill opposed – BBC News

Posted January 10th, 2017 in bills, children, news, social services by sally

‘A Bill described as “a bonfire of child protection rights”, which would let councils opt out of key legal duties to children, is being debated on Tuesday.’

Full story

BBC News, 10th January 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Theresa May vows to correct ‘burning injustices’ – BBC News

Posted January 9th, 2017 in Charity Commission, mental health, news, social services, speeches by sally

‘Prime Minister Theresa May has promised to introduce wide-ranging social reforms to correct what she calls the “burning injustices” in modern society.’

Full story

BBC News, 8th January 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judge lambasts council and police for flaws in investigation and care case – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 5th, 2017 in care orders, damages, human rights, news, police, social services by tracey

‘A High Court judge has strongly criticised a council and a police force for serious breaches of the Human Rights Act, after two children were retained in care despite their mother not being charged with an offence following her arrest.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 4th January 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

The new domestic violence bill has finally been passed – but there’s a disappointing reason it took so long – The Independent

Posted December 19th, 2016 in bills, crime prevention, domestic violence, news, social services, treaties, victims by sally

‘The current attitude towards victim support reveals much about societal attitudes towards domestic abuse, which does not see dignity as something abuse survivors are entitled to as a fundamental and inalienable human right, but rather as an additional extra for which they must work, opt in to, convince society that they have earned.’

Full story

The Independent, 16th December 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Children ‘left at risk by government reform delay’ – BBC News

Posted December 16th, 2016 in children, delay, local government, news, select committees, social services by tracey

‘Children are being left “at risk of harm” because of the government’s failure to develop “credible” plans to improve child protection, MPs warn.’

Full story

BBC News, 16th December 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

West Yorkshire police and agencies ‘failed to protect’ groomed girl – The Guardian

Posted December 7th, 2016 in child abuse, news, police, rape, sexual grooming, social services by tracey

‘Police and social services in West Yorkshire were guilty of “a serious systematic failure” to safeguard a vulnerable girl who was groomed and raped by at least 13 men, an investigation has found. A serious case review by the Bradford Safeguarding Children Board found insufficient steps were taken to protect the girl from exploitation.’

Full story

The Guardian, 6th December 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Witness Protection: Can non-parties appeal critical findings made in a judgment which infringe their human rights? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 30th, 2016 in appeals, human rights, jurisdiction, local government, news, police, social services, witnesses by tracey

‘Re: W (A child) [2016] EWCA Civ 1140. A Family Court judgment was severely critical of two witnesses and the applicant local authority. In an oral “bullet point” judgment at the end of the hearing, the Judge found that the witnesses, a social worker (“SW”) and a police officer (“PO”), had improperly conspired to prove certain allegations regardless of the truth, or professional guidelines.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 30th November 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Social worker and police officer win challenge over criticisms made by judge – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 25th, 2016 in judgments, news, police, setting aside, social services, witnesses by tracey

‘A social worker and a police officer have successfully crossed what McFarlane LJ called “legal landmines” to secure deletion of criticisms made of them by a judge.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 23rd November 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

“If You Prick Us, Do We Not Bleed?”: The Harassment of Cafcass and Local Authority Workers in Family Law Proceedings – Family Law Week

Posted November 23rd, 2016 in damages, harassment, injunctions, news, social services, violence by tracey

‘Bianca Jackson, barrister of Coram Chambers, sets out the civil remedies available to persons subjected to harassment.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 15th November 2016

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

British born children entitled to citizenship but caught in an evidence trap – Legal Voice

Posted November 18th, 2016 in children, citizenship, evidence, news, social services by sally

‘There are many impediments to children registering their entitlement to British citizenship. Solange Valdez and Steve Symonds have previously written for Legal Voice on the separate issues of good character and Home Office fees. A whole other set of difficulties arises for many children in relation to evidence.’

Full story

Legal Voice, 18th November 2016

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

High Court rules on s.117 after-care services and personal injury damages – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 16th, 2016 in damages, local government, news, personal injuries, social services by sally

‘It is not open to a council to refuse to make provision for a person otherwise entitled to after-care services under s.117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 on the basis that the claimant is in receipt of damages for personal injury including for the cost of such care, a High Court judge has ruled.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 14th November 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

The UN Just Criticised The UK’s Record On Disability Rights – RightsInfo

‘The UK government’s welfare reform policy has resulted in systematic violations of the human rights of disabled persons, according to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.’

Full story

RightsInfo, 14th November 2016

Source: www.rightsinfo.org

Child trafficking: Scores missing from UK care homes – BBC News

‘Trafficked children and unaccompanied child asylum seekers are going missing from UK care homes at “an alarmingly high rate”, two charities have said.’

Full story

BBC News, 15th November 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

With and without foundation – Bedroom tax in Supreme Court – Nearly Legal

‘The Supreme Court has handed down its judgment in the culmination of years of cases on the discriminatory impact of the ‘removal of the spare room subsidy’ – the bedroom tax. The outcome was mixed, even including a split judgment on one case, but in at least one respect, the bedroom tax regulations were held to unlawfully and unjustifiably discriminate against households with disabled members.’

Full story

Nearly Legal, 9th November 2016

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Families win supreme court appeals over ‘unfair’ bedroom tax – The Guardian

‘Two families who claimed that the bedroom tax, which restricts housing subsidies, was unfair have won their appeals against the UK government at the supreme court.’

Full story

The Guardian, 9th November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Warning of potential rise in legal actions as adult care funding gap bites – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 9th, 2016 in care homes, disabled persons, elderly, local government, news, social services by sally

‘The number of cases in relation to adult care could rise with local authorities struggling to cope with a funding gap, it has been claimed.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 8th November 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk