‘Farcical’ legal hold-ups caused by ageing systems – BBC News

Posted September 22nd, 2020 in adoption, computer programs, coronavirus, delay, news by sally

‘When Louise Westra and her partner decided to adopt a child in November 2018, they were aware of the long process that was ahead of them, but they were not to know that the coronavirus pandemic would hold them back from completing the adoption of their son.’

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BBC News, 22nd September 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

High Court allows appeal by claimant after council bids to withdraw admissions of liability in failure to remove case – Local Government Lawyer

‘An unnamed South Wales local authority has been stopped by the High Court from withdrawing three admissions of lability made in a lengthy dispute over the care while a child of J, who is now aged 20 and seeks damages.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 17th September 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Newman v Southampton CC: child, mother, journalist – whose rights win out? – Panopticon

‘The High Court handed down judgment on Friday in Newman v Southampton City Council & Ors [2020] EWHC 2103 (Fam), the first recorded judgment concerning journalistic access to the court file in public law family proceedings. The case is likely to be of interest to media lawyers generally, and throws up potential complications surrounding the scope and extent of the privacy rights of children vis-à-vis their parents.’

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Panopticon, 7th August 2020

Source: panopticonblog.com

Re T (A Child: Refusal of Adoption Order) [2020] (EWCA Civ 797) – Transparency Project

Posted July 31st, 2020 in adoption, appeals, care orders, children, families, grandparents, guardianship, news by sally

‘In the recent case of Re T (A Child: Refusal of Adoption Order) [2020] (EWCA Civ 797), the Court of Appeal allowed an appeal by grandparents against a decision of the trial judge not to grant them an adoption order in respect of their grandchild, who had lived with them since birth. The Court of Appeal made an adoption order in their favour without remitting for retrial, dispensing with the mother’s consent. Although special guardianship is the legal framework more typically used to secure a long term placement of a child with extended family, the unusual facts of the case merited the making of an adoption order rather than leaving the existing special guardianship order in place. This post discusses the “unusual” circumstances that led to the Court of Appeal’s decision.’

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Transparency Project, 31st July 202

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Government consults on extending the Adoption and Children (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 – Family Law

‘Government consults on extending the Adoption and Children (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020.’

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Family Law, 28th July 2020

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

One size fits all? – No. 5 Chambers

‘The recent judgment of the Court of Appeal in Re LC (A Child) (Placement Order) [2020] EWCA Civ 787 should serve as a reminder to practitioners in the field of Children Law that each case has to be considered on its peculiar facts and by reference, where applicable, to the welfare checklist in section 1 of the Children Act 1989 or the enhanced welfare checklist contained in section 1 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002.’

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No. 5 Chambers, 30th June 2020

Source: www.no5.com

Sunderland Christian foster service ‘must allow gay carers’ says High Court – Local Government Lawyer

‘A Christian Foster service has been told it must allow gay parents to sign up as carers, the High Court has ruled.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 9th July 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court of Appeal allows appeal over refusal of application for intermediary assessment – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal from a case management decision in care proceedings refusing an application by a parent with a learning disability for an intermediary assessment and the appointment of an intermediary.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 22nd June 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Watering down children’s rights – Doughty Street Chambers

‘This post, written by a member of the Doughty Street Chambers’ Children’s Rights Group, raises questions about the necessity and proportionality of the Adoption and Children (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020. It suggests that the Regulations are likely to breach the UK’s international human rights commitments at a time when children need such protections more than ever.’

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Doughty Street Chambers, 19th May 2020

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

A case law update- a selection of the non-COVID-19 cases published during the pandemic – St Ives Chambers

Posted June 3rd, 2020 in adoption, chambers articles, children, coronavirus, families, family courts, news by sally

‘The Covid-19 pandemic has produced a number of new cases which tie together the guidance produced by the senior judiciary and are essential reading for all practitioners in this new world of remote working.’

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St Ives Chambers, 27th May 2020

Source: www.stiveschambers.co.uk

Judge criticises local authority and Children’s Guardian over efforts to identify birth father but declines to revoke adoption order – Local Government Lawyer

Posted June 1st, 2020 in adoption, children, families, family courts, judges, local government, news by sally

‘A Family Division judge has rejected a birth father’s application under the inherent jurisdiction of the High Court to revoke an adoption order made in November 2019, despite levelling criticisms at the local authority and Children’s Guardian over a lack of rigour and urgency to identify him.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 29th May 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Charity sends letter before action over regulations relaxing social care protections – Local Government Lawyer

‘Children’s rights charity Article 39 has threatened the Department for Education with legal action if it does not withdraw regulations aimed at assisting the children’s care sector during the COVID-19 crisis.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 12th May 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

The Adoption and Children (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 – Spire Barristers

Posted May 7th, 2020 in adoption, children, coronavirus, news, regulations by sally

‘On Friday 24 April 2020, the Government passed a statutory instrument making potentially significant changes to the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations 2010, and the obligations on local authorities imposed by those regulations. In addition to the amendments to the 2010 Regulations, other regulations were amended including the Adoption Agencies Regulations 2005, and the Fostering Services Regulations 2011. This briefing note summarises the main changes to the requirements for local authorities.’

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Spire Barristers, 28th April 2020

Source: spirebarristers.co.uk

Children’s Commissioner for England calls for revocation of “unnecessary” regulations relaxing children’s social care protections – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Children’s Commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, has sharply criticised the government’s relaxation of regulations relating to children’s social care, saying she does not believe that they are necessary except in one limited case.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 1st May 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

The Adoption and Children (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, and a little bit of history. – Transparency Project

‘The regulations make changes to the duties that local authorities have with regards to safeguarding children. These are temporary changes and the regulations give a date in September 2020 for them to lapse. This date can be extended, reviewed or simply removed. They were simply made by virtue of the Coronavirus Act 2020. Parliament did not need to approve them first.’

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Transparency Project, 3rd May 2020

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Court of Appeal sets out ‘cardinal points’ on remote hearings and approach to public law children cases – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has handed down rulings in the first two appeals relating to the welfare of children to have reached the court on the issue of remote hearings during the COVID-19 pandemic.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 30th April 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Government relaxation of regulations relating to children’s social care draws criticism – Local Government Lawyer

‘The government has amended several sets of regulations with a view to assisting the children’s social care sector during the coronavirus pandemic but the move has been strongly criticised by a children’s rights charity.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 28th April 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

High Court to rule on access to full adoption file – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The High Court has been asked to make an unprecedented order to allow a journalist to see all court papers in a flawed adoption case. The application comes as the family justice system faces heightened pressure to be more transparent.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 9th March 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Sibling Assessments in Care and Adoption – Family Law Week

Posted February 27th, 2020 in adoption, care orders, children, families, news by tracey

‘Judith Pepper has delivered presentations with Professor Daniel Monk to the Judicial College on the issue of siblings in care proceedings and adoption.’

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Family Law Week, 26th February 2020

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Another Re W – a successful appeal against refusal for leave to oppose an adoption – Transparency Project

‘In this unusual case, Re W (A child: leave to oppose adoption) [2020] EWCA (Civ) 16, the Court of Appeal has given birth parents leave to oppose an adoption order being made. The child is nearly three years old and has been living with his prospective adopters since he was aged 17 months, in November 2018, after care and placement orders had been made in March of that year. He has never lived with his parents and has not had any contact with them since October 2018.’

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Transparency Project, 23rd February 2020

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk