Judge backs birth control for parents with many children taken into care – The Guardian

Posted June 11th, 2014 in care orders, children, contraception, judges, news, social services by sally

‘The most senior family judge in England and Wales has supported the provision of contraception to parents who have large numbers of children taken into care.’

Full story

The Guardian, 10th June 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Court crisis warning as legal aid cuts trigger surge in parents fighting for child custody without lawyer – Daily Telegraph

‘Lawyers warn of ‘huge delays’ in family court cases as number of parents facing prospect of representing themselves jumps 48 per cent’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 7th June 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Formerly known as – NearlyLegal

Posted June 9th, 2014 in appeals, benefits, children, disabled persons, housing, news, tribunals by sally

‘Here is an interesting FTT bedroom tax decision from Runcorn, received via RAISE who are clearly doing good work in supporting such appeals.’

Full story

NearlyLegal, 6th June 2014

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Data Protection and Child Protection – Panopticon

‘One of the difficulties users and practitioners have with the Data Protection Act 1998 is that there is so little case law on any of the provisions, it can be very hard to know how a court will react to the complicated structure and often unusual factual scenarios which can throw up potential claims. There are two reasons why there is so little case law. First, most damages claims under the DPA go to the County Court, where unless you were in the case it is hard to know that it happened or get hold of a judgment. Secondly, most damages claims are for small sums, which is it is more cost-effective to settle than fight.’

Full story

Panopticon, 6th June 2014

Source: www.panopticonblog.com

Baby death couple win children back – Daily Telegraph

‘Father accused of suffocating his baby by rolling on her as they slept can be reunited with her twin after a judge ruled that the baby’s sister should not have been removed by social workers.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 5th June 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Rihanna Rogue perfume ad restricted due to ‘sexually suggestive’ image – The Guardian

Posted June 4th, 2014 in advertising, children, complaints, news, ombudsmen, women by sally

‘Advertising Standards Authority says poster can only be displayed in areas where it is unlikely to be seen by children.’

Full story

The Guardian, 4th June 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Can you really divorce online for £37? – Daily Telegraph

‘Filing the papers can be cheap, but to ensure you get the outcome you want you will probably have to spend more.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 3rd June 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Hines v Lambeth London Borough Council – WLR Daily

Posted June 4th, 2014 in appeals, benefits, carers, children, EC law, families, housing, immigration, law reports by tracey

Hines v Lambeth London Borough Council: [2014] EWCA Civ 660; [2014] WLR (D) 238

‘A person whose right to remain in the United Kingdom had expired and who sought housing assistance under the Housing Act 1996 on the basis of a derivative right of residence as a primary carer of her son, a British citizen, would be entitled to accommodation only if her son would be effectively compelled to leave the United Kingdom if she left.’

WLR Daily, 20th May 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Surrey paedophile father had unsupervised access to son – BBC News

‘Social workers in Surrey took legal action after discovering that a woman allowed her paedophile ex-husband unsupervised access to their 13-year-old son.’

Full story

BBC News, 3rd June 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Afusat Saliu and children ‘deported to Nigeria’ – BBC News

‘A woman who fought to stay in the UK over fears her daughters could face female genital mutilation in Nigeria has been deported, her lawyer has said.’

Full story

BBC News, 4th June 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Family of disabled grandchild lose spare bedroom fight – BBC News

Posted June 2nd, 2014 in appeals, benefits, carers, children, disabled persons, housing, news by sally

‘A couple who care for their severely disabled grandchild have lost an appeal against cuts to their housing benefits because they have a spare bedroom.’

Full story

BBC News, 30th May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Children suffer as cuts to legal aid penalise parents in court – The Independent

Posted June 2nd, 2014 in budgets, children, custody, legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

‘Almost half of all parents fighting to get access to their children through the courts are being made to do so without legal advice, family magistrates warn today.’

Full story

The Independent, 1st June 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Re B-S and the Perils of the ‘Balance Sheet’ Approach – Family Law Week

‘Michael Jones, barrister, 15 Winckley Square Chambers, considers the response of local authorities to the requirements imposed by Re B-S and later cases.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 23rd May 2014

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

In re S (Children) (Care Proceedings: Fact-finding Hearings) – WLR Daily

Posted May 22nd, 2014 in appeals, care orders, case management, children, law reports by sally

In re S (Children) (Care Proceedings: Fact-finding Hearings) [2014] EWCA Civ 638; [2014] WLR (D) 217

‘Reiterating the inappropriateness of separate fact-finding hearings in most care proceedings, it was essential that if there was to be a separate fact-finding hearing, the ambit of the hearing should be clearly defined and understood by all and, if the ambit altered as the case proceeded, that the adjustment was promptly reflected in the schedule of findings sought and that there was an authentic, definitive record of precisely what findings the judge had made.’

WLR Daily, 14th May 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Home Office criticised for holding child asylum seekers in ‘stuffy and overcrowded’ conditions at Heathrow – The Independent

Posted May 22nd, 2014 in airports, asylum, children, detention, immigration, news, reports by sally

‘Child asylum seekers are being held in “disgraceful” conditions at Heathrow Airport, where they are often forced to sleep overnight in cramped rooms, a report published today warns.’

Full story

The Independent, 22nd May 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

In re K (A Child) (Reunite International Child Abduction Centre intervening) – WLR Daily

In re K (A Child) (Reunite International Child Abduction Centre intervening): [2014] UKSC 29; [2014] WLR (D) 218

‘The phrase “rights of custody,” within the meaning of articles 3 and 5(a) of the 1980 Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction and article 2(9)(11) of Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003, was not limited to rights which were already legally recognised and enforceable but was to be interpreted purposively as including a reference to a wider category, termed “inchoate rights”, the existence of which would have been legally recognised if the matter had arisen before the particular act of removal or retention in question.’

WLR Daily, 15th May 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

In re G (A Child) (Custody Rights: Stay of Proceedings) – WLR Daily

In re G (A Child) (Custody Rights: Stay of Proceedings): [2014] EWCA Civ 680; [2014] WLR (D) 220

‘As a matter of the domestic law of England and Wales, it was rare for an order relating to a child to be truly final if “final” meant ruling out further applications to the court. An order settling contact, or residence could subsequently be varied or discharged and new arrangements for the child substituted. That did not mean that the order for residence or contact was not final any more than would the fact that proceedings might be taken to enforce the order. Whether particular proceedings had come to an end was a fact specific question which had to be determined by careful examination of the circumstances in which the order which brought the proceedings to an end was made and its precise terms.’

WLR Daily, 19th May 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

In the matter of K (A child) (Northern Ireland) – Supreme Court

In the matter of K (A child) (Northern Ireland) [2014] UKSC 29 (YouTube)

Supreme Court, 15th May 2014

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

The Serial Removal of Children from Young Mothers – is this right? – Family Law Week

‘Maureen N Obi-Ezekpazu, FRSA, Barrister and Mediator, Family Matters, asks what can be done to help the plight of young mothers who have had several children permanently removed.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 18th May 2014

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Finance and Divorce Update – Family Law Week

‘Jessica Craigs, senior solicitor, and David Salter, Joint Head of Family Law, both of Mills & Reeve LLP analyse the financial remedies and divorce news and cases published in April.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 17th May 2014

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk