‘The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal against a placement order made in respect of an 18-month-old boy, finding that the aspiration to place him with extended family in Pakistan was “not achievable” within the timescales, and that the child’s best interests could only be served by the making of a placement order with a view to him being adopted in the UK.’
Local Government Lawyer, 14th March 2025
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘Reece McAllister analyses a significant Court of Appeal ruling on risk assessment and judicial reasoning in care proceedings.’
Local Government Lawyer, 19th February 2025
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘A High Court judge has made a care order in relation to a four-year-old girl (F), finding that her best interests will be met by an adoptive placement outside her family, while criticising the “unconscionable delay” in the case, which took almost 30 months to reach a conclusion’
Local Government Lawyer, 31st January 2025
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘A High Court Judge has rejected an application by a father who sought to revoke placement orders made in respect of his two children, on the basis of his 11-month period of abstinence from alcohol.’
Local Government Lawyer, 6th January 2025
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘Gary Fawcett considers two recent care cases he has dealt with recently where “recusal” has cropped up.’
Local Government Lawyer, 17th December 2024
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘This case not only dealt with the nuances of the law of domicile in cross-border adoption, but also addressed the legal principles and applicability of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (right to private and family life), to cases of cross-border adoptions.’
Five Pump Court, 14th November 2024
Source: www.5pumpcourt.com
‘Wholesale reform is needed, the adoption sub-group of the Public Law Working Group has said in its report ‘Recommendations for best practice in respect of adoption’, which is published today (Thursday, 7 November).’
Courts & Tribunal Judiciary, 7th November 224
Source: www.judiciary.uk
‘Adopted children are likely to be allowed much closer contact with their birth families in the future as part of “seismic” changes recommended in a report published today. Some families say the changes are long overdue – but others worry they may deter people from adopting.’
BBC News, 7th November 2024
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘The Court of Appeal has allowed a local authority’s appeal against a judge’s refusal to make placement orders in respect of two young children.’
Local Government Lawyer, 31st October 2024
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘The Court of Appeal has outlined guidance on placement timings, after finding that a local authority’s decision to proceed with a farewell visit while a father’s application for permission to appeal was pending was “plainly wrong” and “contrary to the children’s interests”.’
Local Government Lawyer, 2nd August 2024
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘This case review considers Theis J’s judgment in Re Z (Surrogacy: Step-parent Adoption) [2024] EWFC 20, in which she refused a step-parent adoption order but made several other orders in relation to contact and the exercise of parental responsibility between the three adults involved. I posit that while the judgment probably represents the best possible outcome all round – especially the best interests of the child at its heart – it does not reflect the lived reality of most surrogacy agreements entered into in this country, or the experiences of those involved. It does, however, indicate that proposed reforms as recommended by the Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission in 2023 would be welcome, especially as the intention behind them is precisely to protect against breakdowns in surrogacy arrangements such as sadly happened in this case.’
Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, 23rd July 2024
Source: www.tandfonline.com
‘A study by the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory (NFJO) has found that 34% of parents who are at risk of having their babies removed from their care have learning disabilities or difficulties, which are often not identified until court.’
Local Government Lawyer, 13th June 2024
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘The President of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane, has outlined the need for a “new approach” to post-adoption contact, noting that letterbox contact can “no longer be seen as the appropriate regime for most cases”.’
Local Government Lawyer, 23rd May 2024
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘Adapting Adoption to the Modern World: Part Two, Friday 17 May 2024 President of the Family Division The Right Honourable Sir Andrew McFarlane.’
Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 17th May 2024
Source: www.judiciary.uk
‘The Court of Appeal has set aside a care order made in respect of a nine-month-old baby, after concluding the judge made an order which was “not open to her in law”.’
Local Government Lawyer, 2nd April 2024
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal against a judge’s decision to refuse permission for prospective adopters to attend a final adoption hearing either in person or remotely, and to refuse their request for a transcript of the hearing.’
Local Government Lawyer, 25th March 2024
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘A High Court judge has refused to allow a local authority to withdraw its application for a care order, finding that an order would be in the “best interests” of a teenage boy with complex needs.’
Local Government Lawyer, 14th March 2024
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
‘This case concerned two applications made by X and Y in relation to the child, Z, aged 3. Firstly, to vary or discharge a child arrangements order (made in August 2021) and secondly, for a step-parent adoption in favour of X. Both applications were opposed by Z’s mother, G, but supported by the Local Authority and Z’s Children’s Guardian. Taryn Lee KC of Spire Barristers acted for the 3rd Respondent, the Guardian.’
Spire Barristers, 13th February 2024
Source: www.spirebarristers.co.uk
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