Wigan deputy head teacher banned from profession after raping girl – BBC News

‘A primary school deputy head teacher, jailed for child sexual abuse offences including two counts of rape, has been barred from teaching.’

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BBC News, 2nd April 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

High Court allows parental order application despite existence of US adoption order – Local Government Lawyer

‘The President of the Family Division has determined the issue of whether or not the commissioning parents of a child born through a surrogacy arrangement in the USA, who had already adopted their child in that country, were nevertheless entitled to have a parental order granted in their favour in England and Wales.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 2nd April 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Finley Boden: Parents killed baby when he should have been most protected, report says – BBC News

‘Safeguarding practices in the case of 10-month-old Finley Boden who was murdered by his parents were inadequate, a review has found.’

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BBC News, 27th March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Claimant fails in judicial review over SEND Review consultation and information on available remedies for tribunal in disability discrimination cases – Local Government Lawyer

‘The High Court has rejected a judicial review challenge brought on behalf of a 12-year-old boy with special educational needs to one of the 22 consultation questions contained in the SEND Review, the Government’s consultation Green Paper.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 26th March 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Woman guilty of murdering son, 3, in Durham after ‘sadistic cruelty’ – The Guardian

‘A woman who subjected her three-year-old son to a campaign of “sadistic cruelty” and punishment for petty wrongs has been found guilty of his murder.’

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The Guardian, 21st March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK smoking ban for those born after 2009 starts journey into law – BBC News

Posted March 22nd, 2024 in bills, children, government departments, health, news, smoking, young persons by sally

‘Rishi Sunak’s plan to ban anyone born after 2009 from buying cigarettes is starting its journey into law.’

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BBC News, 21st March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Council decision on needs of teenager quashed in High Court after failure to assess “all relevant considerations” – Local Government Lawyer

‘A High Court judge has quashed a council’s decision in relation to the needs of a teenage boy, after it failed to assess “all relevant considerations” having departed from recommendations by the SEND tribunal.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th March 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Step-parents and Parental Responsibility – Becket Chambers

Posted March 21st, 2024 in children, guardianship, news, parental responsibility by sally

‘The Children Act 1989 s.3 sets out the legal definition of parental responsibility as, ‘all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority which by law a parent of a child has in relation to the child and his property’.’

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Becket Chambers, 29th February 2024

Source: becket-chambers.co.uk

Strip searches: Watchdog urges police to be ‘proportionate’ with children – BBC News

Posted March 20th, 2024 in children, investigatory powers, news, police, proportionality, school children by sally

‘Police officers strip-searching children should ensure they act in a sensitive and proportionate way, a watchdog has said.’

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BBC News, 19th March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Retailers who break new smoking ban face on-the-spot fines in UK – The Guardian

‘Powers to issue £100 on-the-spot fines are to be handed to council officers enforcing a landmark law banning future generations from smoking, which Rishi Sunak has hailed as a chance to “save thousands of lives and billions of pounds”.’

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The Guardian, 20th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

HMP Woodhill: Prison staff made insufficient checks on inmate found dead – BBC News

‘Prison staff failed to properly check on a prisoner the morning he was found dead, the prisons ombudsman has ruled.’

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BBC News, 18th March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

How sex abusers who target their own children keep parental rights – and the mothers fighting back – The Independent

‘A mother is desperate to change her child’s surname – so that they no longer share it with their criminal father. But Emily* is being blocked from doing so by her ex, despite the fact that he is a convicted child sex offender. Her predicament is not unique. Under English and Welsh law, child sex abusers are able to keep their parental rights in the UK, even if they target their own children. This allows them to retain influence over where the child lives, as well as their healthcare and education.’

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The Independent, 17th March 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Woman whose baby was stillborn in HMP Styal praises sentencing changes – The Guardian

‘A former prisoner who gave birth to a stillborn baby in a jail toilet has welcomed changes that campaigners hope will reduce the number of pregnant women locked up, as a “legacy” for the daughter she lost.’

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The Guardian, 18th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

High Court judge makes care order for teenage boy despite local authority seeking to withdraw its application – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 15th, 2024 in adoption, care orders, children, families, local government, mental health, news by sally

‘A High Court judge has refused to allow a local authority to withdraw its application for a care order, finding that an order would be in the “best interests” of a teenage boy with complex needs.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 14th March 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Kaylea Titford had no care plan in place when she died, review finds – The Guardian

‘A 16-year-old girl with “significant and chronic disabilities” who died in squalor at her family home in rural mid-Wales did not have a care plan in place, a child practice review into her death has found.’

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The Guardian, 14th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Balancing the autonomy and protection of children: competency challenges in data protection law – Information & Communications Technology Law

Posted March 14th, 2024 in children, data protection, news by sally

‘This article considers some complexities surrounding the determination of child competency in matters of data protection. Focusing on the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) guidelines, the article highlights the apparently pivotal role competency plays in granting children the ability to exercise their data protection rights and interests. The article critically examines the inherent challenges arising from the ICO’s approach, emphasising the reliance on data controllers to independently assess the competency of child data subjects. The inherent problematic nature of this approach is scrutinised, shedding light on potential shortcomings and raising questions about the effectiveness and fairness of such assessments.’

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Information & Communications Technology Law, 27th February 2024

Source: www.tandfonline.com

‘Total failures’ in care of baby boy who lived for 14 hours – BBC News

‘A baby boy who lived just 14 hours died after “total and complete failures” in his care, an inquest has found.’

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BBC News, 12th March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Head teacher sacked for tapping own child’s hand with fingers wins tribunal case – The Independent

‘An experienced primary school head teacher sacked for assault after tapping her own son’s hand to stop him playing with a bottle of hand sanitiser was unfairly dismissed, an employment tribunal has ruled.’

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The Independent, 9th March 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Crown Prosecution Service lawyers trivialise teen sexual abuse, report says – The Guardian

‘Lawyers in the Crown Prosecution Service in England and Wales have trivialised teen sexual abuse, are “obsessed” about the credibility of rape victims and used victim-blaming language, according to a critical official examination into how the service deals with serious sexual crimes.’

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The Guardian, 11th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Mikey Roynon: Teens found guilty of killing 16-year-old boy – BBC News

‘Three teenagers have been found guilty of killing a 16-year-old boy with a zombie knife at a house party.’

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BBC News, 7th March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk