Case of ex-magistrate challenging top judges moves forward – Family Law

Posted December 6th, 2018 in adoption, employment tribunals, magistrates, news, victimisation by sally

‘Former magistrate Richard Page has been granted permission to take his case against the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice to the Employment Appeal Tribunal. Page is accusing the most senior judges in England and Wales of victimising him for his view that children do best when raised by both a mother and a father.’

Full Story

Family Law, 5th December 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Children’s sibling relationships ‘at risk’ in case and adoption proceedings – Family Law

Posted November 5th, 2018 in adoption, children, families, news by sally

‘The significance attached to sibling relationships in care and adoption proceedings can be routinely outweighed by other factors, according to a new report funded by the Nuffield Foundation.’

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Family Law, 2nd November 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

“Wait a Minute, Mr Postman”: Post-Adoption Contact after the Children and Families Act 2014 – Family Law Week

Posted September 27th, 2018 in adoption, contact orders, families, news by tracey

‘Dr Bianca Jackson, barrister, Coram Chambers and co-author of “Public Children Law: Contemporary Issues” examines the issue of post-adoption contact.’

Full Story

Family Law Week, 21st September 2018

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Matthew Scully-Hicks: Social services chief apologises for mistakes leading to toddler being murdered by adoptive father – The Independent

Posted August 3rd, 2018 in adoption, child abuse, doctors, murder, news, social services by tracey

‘A social services chief has apologised for mistakes in the care of a baby girl who was murdered by her father two weeks after he adopted her. A review has found that both social services workers and a doctor missed opportunities to spot anything abnormal when Elsie Scully-Hicks suffered a catalogue of injuries in the months before she died.’

Full Story

The Independent, 2nd August 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Step-parent adoption order set aside where court misled – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted March 23rd, 2018 in adoption, misrepresentation, news, setting aside by tracey

‘Family analysis: A father’s appeal out of time was allowed and a step-parent adoption order set aside as a result of deception by the applicants. Nasstassia Hylton, barrister at 1 Garden Court Chambers, considers the decision in Re J (Adoption: Appeal) [2018] EWFC 8 and looks at the serious consequences of giving false information to the courts.’

Full Story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 22nd March 2018

Source: blogs.lexisnexis.co.uk

Speech by Lord Justice McFarlane: Contact: a point of view – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted March 21st, 2018 in adoption, contact orders, speeches by tracey

‘Speech by Lord Justice McFarlane: Contact: a point of view.’

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 20th March 2018

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Stepfather adoption: the pros and cons – Family Law

Posted February 16th, 2018 in adoption, news, parental responsibility by sally

”The legal position for a stepfather in relation to his stepchild can be fundamentally altered through an adoption order. This will extinguish parental responsibility held by everyone other than the stepfather’s partner. The stepfather will obtain parental responsibility and will be treated in law as if he were the child’s birth parent (s 67(1) of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 (ACA 2002)).

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Family Law, 15th February 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Court ruling on decision to place a child with sibling’s adopters (Re B (a child)) – Family Law

Posted January 30th, 2018 in adoption, appeals, families, news, placement orders by sally

‘Family analysis: Emily James, barrister at The 36 Group, considers the practical implications of the Court of Appeal judgment in Re B (A Child) (Care Proceedings) [2018] EWCA Civ 20, [2018] All ER (D) 74 (Jan), in which a decision to place a child for adoption, even when there was a viable family placement available, was upheld.’

Full Story

Family Law, 29th January 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

‘They took my life. I’m grieving for a child who is still alive’ – The Guardian

Posted January 24th, 2018 in adoption, children, news, race discrimination, social services, travellers by tracey

‘New figures show a huge rise in Romany and Traveller families having their children taken away. It’s being blamed on institutional prejudice.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 24th January 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Kisses and cuddles not enough… – Transparency Project

Posted January 23rd, 2018 in adoption, judgments, learning difficulties, news by sally

‘The BBC recently reported that two children were to be adopted ‘as kisses and cuddles [were] not enough‘.’

Full Story

Transparency Project, 20th January 2018

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Adoption a ‘runaway train often breaching rights of birth parents’ – The Guardian

Posted January 19th, 2018 in adoption, news, parental rights, social services by tracey

‘The British Association of Social Workers’s (BASW) independent adoption inquiry is the first to investigate the role of social workers in adoption with a focus on ethics and human rights and has called for a significant rethink and review of adoption law.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 18th January 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Local authorities and learning disabled parenting (A Local Authority v CG and others) – Family Law

‘A case concerning the parental suitability of two parents with mental health and learning difficulties offers a number of lessons that can help local authorities to better manage such challenging circumstances. Emma Harman, counsel for the mother, and Omar Malik, for the father, both of 3 Paper Buildings, outline the most salient issues for practitioners and local authorities to be aware of.’

Full Story

Family Law, 18th January 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Children to be adopted as ‘kisses and cuddles not enough’ – BBC News

Posted January 11th, 2018 in adoption, care orders, learning difficulties, news, social services by tracey

‘Two children have been taken from the care of their mother, who has a learning disability, after a judge said “kisses and cuddles are not enough”.

Full Story

BBC News, 10th January 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Re M (A Child) (2017) Court of Appeal (Civil Division) – Park Square Barristers

Posted December 8th, 2017 in adoption, asylum, local government, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal decision in Re M (A Child) (2017) has confirmed that for the purpose of conducting an assessment under the Adoption and Children Act 2002 s.42(7), a local authority are not confined to the period after the adoption application has been made; it can include periods before the application. The decision emphasises that section 42(7) should not be construed in narrow terms but it should be given a wider, purposeful interpretation.’

Full Story

Park Square Barristers, 6th December 2017

Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk

Children removed after parents’ open relationship contributes to neglect – The Guardian

Posted December 1st, 2017 in adoption, child neglect, children, news by tracey

‘Three children are to be removed from their family home amid concerns that their parents’ “open relationship” may have contributed to neglect. The ruling by a family court judge makes clear that the hearing was concerned only with the impact of the parents’ unusual lifestyle on their young children, who are all under the age of five and will now be placed for adoption.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 30th November 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elsie Scully-Hicks – Family Court Judgment Released – Transparency Project

Posted November 21st, 2017 in adoption, child abuse, family courts, judgments, murder, news by sally

‘Mr Justice Moor has today [20 November] published his judgment about the death of Elsie (known to her biological family as Shayla). You can read the judgment here: The County Council of the City and County of Cardiff -v- Matthew Scully-Hicks and Others.’

Full Story

Transparency Project, 20th November 2017

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Elsie Scully-Hicks: Killer dad ‘was suitable to adopt’ – BBC News

Posted November 21st, 2017 in adoption, child abuse, murder, news by sally

‘A father who murdered his 18-month-old baby was given a “glowing report” on his suitability to adopt her, a judge has found.’

Full Story

BBC News, 20th November 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judges reject challenge over adoption and special guardianship for half-brothers – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 14th, 2017 in adoption, appeals, families, guardianship, news by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal has dismissed a case brought against Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council over whether a child should be adopted when his older half-brothers, who lived with the same couple, were to be the subject of a special guardianship order.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 14th November 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Elsie Scully-Hicks: Dad jailed for life for murder – BBC News

Posted November 8th, 2017 in adoption, child abuse, imprisonment, murder, news, sentencing by tracey

‘A man who murdered his 18-month-old daughter just two weeks after formally adopting her has been handed a life sentence.’

Full Story

BBC News, 7th November 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Elsie Scully-Hicks: Murdered by adopted father – BBC News

Posted November 7th, 2017 in adoption, child abuse, murder, news, sentencing by tracey

‘Elsie Scully-Hicks was just 18 months old when she died from catastrophic injuries. Her adopted father Matthew Scully-Hicks inflicted a catalogue of violence on her in the eight months she lived with him.’

Full Story

BBC News, 6th November 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk