High court to hear legal challenge over boy kept in cell 23 hours a day – The Guardian

Posted March 7th, 2017 in children, detention, imprisonment, news, prisons, young offenders by tracey

‘A legal challenge over a boy locked up for 23 hours a day in a London prison has been given the go-ahead.’

Full story

The Guardian, 7th March 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Sentencing Council publishes new guidelines on sentencing children and young people and offenders who plead guilty – Sentencing Council

‘Today, the Sentencing Council has published two new sentencing guidelines. One covers how courts should make a reduction in sentence for offenders who admit their guilt, and the other deals with the approach they should take when sentencing children and young people.’

Full press release

Sentencing Council, 7th March 2017

source: http://sentencingcouncil.judiciary.gov.uk

Association of Lawyers for Children hits out at Cafcass/ADCS agreement – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Association of Lawyers for Children (ALC) has said it is “deeply concerned” by a recent agreement entered into by Cafcass and the Association of Directors of Children’s Services.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 3rd March 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Children: Private Law Update (February 2017) – Family Law Week

‘Alex Verdan QC of 4 Paper Buildings reviews recent important judgments in private law children cases.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 28th February 2017

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Judge rules against council over refusal to accommodate before age assessment – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 28th, 2017 in asylum, children, housing, immigration, news, refugees by tracey

‘A local authority did not have good reason for departing from statutory guidance requiring it to provide accommodation and support to an unaccompanied young person pending a lawful age assessment, a High Court judge has ruled.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 27th February 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Surrogacy Law /HFEA Update (February 2017) – Family Law Week

‘Andrew Powell, barrister of 4 Paper Buildings, considers recent surrogacy cases in this jurisdiction, developments in the European Court of Human Rights, calls for law reform and recent judgments concerning administrative errors by fertility clinics.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

HRA Claims and Concurrent Care Proceedings: Third Party Costs Orders, Statutory Charge Guidance and an Invitation to the Lord Chancellor – Family Law Week

‘Ben Mansfield, barrister of The 36 Group, examines the judgment of Mr Justice Keehan in H (A Minor) v Northamptonshire County Council and the Legal Aid Agency [2017] EWHC 282 (Fam).’

Full story

Family Law Week, 23rd February 2017

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Girl, 5, dies of asthma attack after ‘volatile GP refused to see her because she was several minutes late’ – The Independent

Posted February 27th, 2017 in children, doctors, health, inquests, news, professional conduct, reports by tracey

‘A five-year-old girl died of an asthma attack after an “unapproachable and volatile” doctor refused to see her because she and her mother arrived a few minutes late for her appointment, the General Medical Council has found.’

Full story

The Independent, 27th February 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Child sex abuse inquiry public hearings to start – BBC News

Posted February 27th, 2017 in charities, child abuse, children, Christianity, immigration, inquiries, news, sexual offences by tracey

‘The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in England and Wales is to hold its first public hearings later.’

Full story

BBC News, 27th February 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

A united approach – Counsel

Posted February 23rd, 2017 in barristers, children, cross-examination, news, witnesses, young persons by sally

‘HHJ Simon Drew QC and Lynda Gibbs explain why the pan-profession s 28 and ‘advocacy and the vulnerable’ training – being delivered to over 14,000 criminal advocates over the next two years – heralds a sea change.’

Full story

Counsel, March 2017

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Cloisters column part two – ‘Premature Labelling? A child-centred approach to questions of gender identity’ – Cloisters

Posted February 22nd, 2017 in care orders, children, family courts, gender, news, social services, transgender persons by sally

‘This is part two of a two-part series on trans rights from leading equality and human rights barrister Claire McCann at Cloisters. Part one explores toilets and gender identity.’

Full story

Cloisters, 14th February 2017

Source: www.cloisters.com

Adopting Scottish Children in England – Family Law Week

‘Lorraine Cavanagh, barrister of St Johns Buildings, explains the implications of a recent important judgment of the President concerning the English courts’ recognition of permanence orders of Scottish children.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 14th February 2017

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

How is the PLO working? What is its impact on court process and outcome? – Family Law Week

‘The last five years have brought important reforms to care proceedings. The Judiciary made proposals for modernising family justice with a focus on strong judicial leadership, judicial continuity and better case management.2 The Family Justice Review3 recommended that the duration of care proceedings should be limited to 26 weeks, that fewer experts should be instructed in proceedings and there should be more limited scrutiny of the care plan, with the court considering only the plan for permanency (care by the parents(s), placement in the extended family, long-term fostering, or adoption) and not matters such as services for the child and contact arrangements. The Review’s recommendations were enacted in the Children and Families Act 2014, supplemented by new procedural rules (the PLO 2014) and implemented on April 22, 2014. This date also marked the opening of the Family Court, replacing the triple jurisdiction of the Family Proceedings Court, the County Court and the High Court. ‘

Full story

Family Law Week, 17th February 2017

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Income rules for foreign spouses upheld – BBC News

‘Income rules which stop thousands of British citizens bringing their foreign spouse to the UK are lawful “in principle” the Supreme Court has ruled.’

Full story

BBC News, 22nd February 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK prisons ‘holding child inmates in solitary confinement against UN torture rules’ – The Independent

‘British prisons are holding child inmates in solitary confinement in an alleged breach of UN torture rules and British law, The Independent has found. Lawyers in one case have launched legal action against the Government in the High Court.’

Full story

The Independent, 21st February 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Family judge condemns 2,000-page bundle – Law Society’s Gazette

‘A family judge has expressed his disapproval at the ‘unwarranted expenditure’ in a case where a local authority breached Article 8 rights under the European Convention on Human Rights by taking an infant into care.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 17th February 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Home Office agrees to review asylum claims of child refugees in France – The Guardian

Posted February 20th, 2017 in asylum, children, EC law, France, government departments, immigration, news, refugees by sally

‘The Home Office has agreed to review asylum applications from child refugees in France after it emerged that several had returned to the site of the former Calais camp in a renewed effort to make the crossing to the UK.’

Full story

The Guardian, 19th February 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New law to stop adults sexting children not being enforced – The Guardian

Posted February 16th, 2017 in children, internet, news, sexual grooming, telecommunications by sally

‘Tough new laws that make it a criminal offence for an adult to send sexually explicit messages to a child under 16 are still not being enforced almost two years after they were passed by parliament, child protection campaigners have said. ‘

Full story

The Guardian, 16th February 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Millionaire who killed his wife sued by sons for ‘profiting’ from murder – The Guardian

Posted February 16th, 2017 in appeals, children, divorce, domestic violence, families, murder, news, proceeds of crime by sally

‘A millionaire businessman who stabbed his wife to death in the midst of a bitter divorce row is being sued for £1.5m by his two sons.’

Full story

The Guardian, 15th February 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Child of incestuous rape seeks compensation – BBC News

‘A severely disabled man born after an incestuous rape is seeking compensation at the Court of Appeal as a victim.’

Full story

BBC News, 15th March 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk