What’s really in the bests interests of children from other European countries involved in care proceedings? – Family Law Week

‘Sarah Phillimore, barrister, of St John’s Chambers considers the ‘best interests’ test under Article 15 of Brussels IIR in the light of the Supreme Court’s judgment in Re N.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 6th May 2016

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Childcare vouchers and maternity leave – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Employment Appeal Tribunal ruling on childcare vouchers is at odds with the approach taken by most employers.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 9th May 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Questions and Answers – Nearly Legal

‘A judicial review of a decision on a s.17 Children Act 1989 assessment of a homeless, non-eligible family. The issues were the extent of investigations required, and legitimate conclusions to be drawn from a lack of information provided.’

Full story

Nearly Legal, 8th May 2016

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Illegal immigrant exploited FGM laws to stay in Britain – Daily Telegraph

‘An illegal immigrant from Nigeria was granted leave to remain in Britain after falsely alleging that her daughters would be subjected to female genital mutilation if they were sent back.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th May 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Reducing women’s imprisonment: sentencing of mothers – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

‘Ciara O’Neill wrote recently on the Halsbury’s Law Exchange about Michael Gove’s talk on 4 November at the AGM of the Howard League for Penal Reform: “He believes that our sentencing framework needs a complete overhaul…Gove recognised that evidence shows short sentences are more likely than not to lead to recidivism, and that the system needs a more appropriate sentencing framework. This will be based on extensive research into the effectiveness of current sentencing practices.” (“Gove admits the UK sentencing framework needs to be more sensitive, & 7 more things we learned at the 2015 Howard League AGM“).’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 3rd May 2016

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Preventing Child Sexual Exploitation: a lacuna in the law – Family Law Week

‘Matthew Warmoth, pupil barrister at Fourteen, finds that the court can do little to protect children from CSE when the exploiter is not a party to proceedings and there has been no police caution or conviction for a sexual or violent offence.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 4th May 2016

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

George Bell: The battle for a bishop’s reputation – BBC News

Posted May 5th, 2016 in children, clergy, news, sexual grooming, sexual offences, victims by tracey

‘George Bell was one of the most influential Anglican bishops of the last century. But, almost 60 years after his death, he was accused of having been a child abuser. Now campaigners are battling to defend his reputation.’

Full story

BBC News, 5th May 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Undercover police denied automatic anonymity at inquiry – BBC News

‘Undercover police officers facing claims of wrongdoing will not automatically get anonymity at a forthcoming major public inquiry.’

Full story

BBC News, 3rd May 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Mother who tried to move family to Syria ordered to give up children – The Guardian

Posted May 4th, 2016 in care orders, children, families, family courts, Islam, news, terrorism by tracey

‘The high court has ruled that the three children of a Leicester woman who tried to take them to Isis-controlled territory must live with their grandmother.’

Full story

The Guardian, 3rd May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Serious case review to probe whether toddler battered to death by foster mother could have been saved – Daily Telegraph

‘Social services are facing questions after a “barbaric” woman beat an 18-month-old girl in her care to death, inflicting 200 injuries on her and trying to blame her eldest son for the child’s death.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 3rd May 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Refugee held illegally after Home Office refused to believe he was 16 – The Guardian

‘Call for investigation into case of Syrian boy who was locked up for almost a month despite having documents proving identity.’

Full story

The Guardian, 4th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Age assessment and litigation fairness – Local Government Lawyer

Posted May 3rd, 2016 in appeals, children, immigration, news, social services, tribunals by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal has handed down a wide-reaching judgment that directly concerns age assessment cases, but the principles enunciated apply to all litigation (private and public), writes Peter Oldham QC.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 28th April 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Judge rejects challenge over refusal of support under s.17 Children Act – Local Government Lawyer

Posted May 3rd, 2016 in children, housing, news, social services by tracey

‘A High Court judge has rejected a judicial review challenge brought by a claimant via her mother over a London borough’s decision to refuse to provide accommodation and support.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 3rd May 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk/

Coroner seeks answers over hospital treatment of teen who killed himself – The Guardian

Posted April 29th, 2016 in children, hospitals, news, suicide, young persons by tracey

‘A coroner is writing to the health secretary over the case of a troubled 17-year-old who took his own life after discharging himself from hospital at the weekend without being seen by specialists in mental health in children and young people.’

Full story

The Guardian, 28th April 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Stephen Ward jailed for killing baby son Jordan – BBC News

Posted April 28th, 2016 in children, homicide, news, sentencing by tracey

‘A father who killed his nine-month-old son by violently shaking him and causing “catastrophic injuries” has been jailed for eight years.’

Full story

BBC News, 27th April 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Part 25 Applications – The theory and the practice – Family Law Week

‘Marie Crawford, barrister, Becket Chambers considers the disconnection between theory and practice in making applications to adduce expert evidence.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 21st April 2016

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

You’ve lost that loving Ealing (Sorry) – Nearly Legal

‘Ealing’s allocation policy has already had lawfulness problems, compounded by Ealing’s unlawful refusal to do anything about that unlawfulness. But this judicial review of the policy was on a different basis and confirms a whole fresh ground of unlawfulness.’

Full story

Nearly Legal, 27th April 2016

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Government defeated again in Lords over child refugees – BBC News

‘The government has been defeated again in the House of Lords over calls to take in child refugees from Europe.’

Full story

BBC News, 26th April 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judge to decide treatment of two-year-old disabled boy who ‘no longer giggles’ – The Independent

Posted April 27th, 2016 in children, disabled persons, doctors, medical treatment, news by sally

‘Specialists have told a High Court judge that their treatment of a “profoundly neurologically disabled” two-year-old boy who they say no longer giggles when tickled and is “largely unresponsive” should be limited to palliative care.’

Full story

The Independent, 27th April 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Revenge pornography victims as young as 11, investigation finds – BBC News

‘Children as young as 11 are among more than 1,000 alleged victims of revenge porn who reported offences in the first year of the new law coming into effect, it has been revealed.’

Full story

BBC News, 27th April 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk