P (A Child: Remote Hearing) (Rev 3) [2020] EWFC 32: When is remote justice not justice? – Transparency Project

‘Re P (A Child: Remote Hearing) (Rev 3) [2020] EWFC 32 is a decision of the President of the Family Division and Head of Family Justice, Sir Andrew McFarlane, about whether or not a 15 day trial should go ahead remotely. The trial was set down within care proceedings to determine very serious allegations that the mother had harmed her seven-year-old daughter by fabricating or inducing illness (known in the trade as FII).’

Full Story

Transparency Project, 23rd April 2020

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

McFarlane: Remote hearing on future of child a step too far – Legal Futures

‘It is not appropriate for a 15-day hearing into whether a mother has harmed her seven-year-old daughter to be held remotely, the president of the Family Court has ruled.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 22nd April 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Court of Appeal upholds order for disclosure to police of documents filed in care proceedings – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 9th, 2020 in appeals, care orders, child cruelty, children, disclosure, documents, families, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has rejected a father’s appeal against an order for the disclosure of certain documents filed in childcare proceedings.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 7th April 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

High Court judge highlights clash between diplomatic immunity and child protection – Local Government Lawyer

‘A Family Court case has highlighted a “virtually insoluble dilemma” between diplomatic immunity and child protection, leading Mr Justice Mostyn to call for an amendment to the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 26th March 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.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.’

Full Story

Transparency Project, 23rd February 2020

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Oxford grooming trial: Three men jailed for sexually abusing girl – BBC News

‘Three men have been jailed for sexually abusing a schoolgirl in Oxford following an investigation into child sexual exploitation.’

Full Story

BBC News, 13th February 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Child cruelty case triggers call for home schooling review – The Guardian

Posted January 30th, 2020 in child abuse, child cruelty, child neglect, domestic violence, education, news by tracey

‘Child protection experts have called for a national review of home schooling following an inquiry into a case in which a violent stepfather and his partner subjected their young son to extreme neglect and abuse.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 29th January 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Wales to bring in smacking ban after assembly vote – BBC News

Posted January 29th, 2020 in assault, bills, child cruelty, children, families, news, Wales by sally

‘A law banning people in Wales from smacking their children has been passed by the Welsh Assembly.’

Full Story

BBC News, 28th January 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judge believes blameless parents and sends baby home – Transparency Project

Posted December 9th, 2019 in accidents, child cruelty, children, families, news, social services by sally

‘His Honour Judge Dancey has published a judgment in which he explains why he has decided that social services have failed to prove that either parent caused a skull fracture sustained by their baby, with the result that the baby is going home. The judge decided that the evidence did not prove that the fracture had been inflicted as opposed to caused accidentally, and the injury just remained unexplained. The baby has made a full recovery, by the way.’

Full Story

Transparency Project, 7th December 2019

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Baby P’s mother should not be freed, says Parole Board – The Guardian

‘Tracey Connelly, the mother of Baby P, who died after months of abuse, should not be freed from jail or moved to an open prison, the Parole Board has decided.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 6th December 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Enraged mother threw her own baby at police officer causing spinal injury – Daily Telegraph

‘A police officer suffered a life-changing spinal injury after a mother threw her own child at them in a rage, a court heard.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 2nd December 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Speech by https://www.innertemplelibrary.com/wp-admin/edit.phpSir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division: “If only we had known then what we know now” – Courts & Tribunals Judiciary

Posted December 2nd, 2019 in child abuse, child cruelty, speeches by tracey

‘Speech by Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division: “If only we had known then what we know now” ‘

Full speech

Courts & Tribunals Judiciary, 29th November 2019

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Former minister’s son branded ‘manipulative’ as he is jailed for seven years for killing toddler with car seat – Daily Telegraph

‘A former minister’s son has been branded “manipulative and cunning” as he was jailed for seven years for killing a three-year-old with a car seat.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 14th November 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Shaken baby syndrome cases ‘tip of the iceberg’ – BBC News

‘More than 220 infants in the UK were killed or injured as a result of being shaken in the past decade, analysis of NSPCC figures has found. Serious case reviews were carried out on 1,253 children, with nearly one in six of those reports concluding the youngster had suffered a brain injury. The charity said it believed that number was “the tip of the iceberg”.

Full Story

BBC News, 7th October 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Drunk mum Marina Tilby who fell asleep on baby freed from jail – BBC News

‘A mother jailed over the death of her four-week-old baby after she fell asleep on top of him has been freed by Court of Appeal judges.’

Full Story

BBC News, 10th September 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Man admits crushing boy, 3, to death with car seat – The Guardian

‘A man has admitted crushing a three-year-old boy to death with his car seat.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 2nd September 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Babies living with abusive parents under 24-hour CCTV, as Children’s Commissioner calls for review into the ‘Big Brother-style’ centres – Daily Telegraph

‘Babies are living with abusive parents under 24-hour CCTV surveillance, The Telegraph can reveal, as the Children’s Commissioner calls for a review into the ‘Big Brother-style’ accommodation.

However “disturbing” cases – which have remained unreported until now – where children have been physically injured and sexually abused while living in the units have prompted the Children’s Commissioner to call for a review into the controversial scheme.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 4th August 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Northampton child cruelty: Parents jailed for cruelty – BBC News

Posted May 29th, 2019 in child cruelty, families, news, sentencing by tracey

‘Parents who locked their son in a room, banned him from speaking and fed him old food have been jailed.’

Full Story

BBC News, 28th May 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Spotlight on child protection in family courts – Ministry of Justice

‘A panel of experts will review how the family courts protect children and parents in cases of domestic abuse and other serious offences, Ministers announced today (Tuesday 21 May).’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 21st May 2019

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Voices of children overlooked in family courts, says ex-head – BBC News

‘Family courts in England and Wales are not properly accommodating children’s voices and needs because the government has suggested “it would all cost too much”, their former head has said.’

Full Story

BBC News, 16th May 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk