Judge orders children to be taken into long-term foster care over concerns about weight – Local Government Lawyer

‘A Family Court judge has made a care order for two children described as “severely overweight” to be taken into long-term foster care, following an application by West Sussex County Council.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th March 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

School drops legal action after Muslim girl told her skirt was too long – The Guardian

Posted March 17th, 2021 in bullying, children, Islam, news, religious discrimination, school children by sally

‘A school that had threatened the parents of a Muslim schoolgirl with legal action after she wore a skirt that was deemed “too long” has dropped its legal challenge and apologised.’

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The Guardian, 16th March 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judicial review, standing and interest in the outcome – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 15th, 2021 in children, fraud, local government, locus standi, news, practice directions by tracey

‘A recent ruling has confirmed that applicants for judicial review must have a sufficient interest in the relief sought to have standing to bring the claim, write Sarah Salmon and Joshua Swirsky.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 12th March 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Contact after Findings of Domestic Abuse – Family Law Week

‘Teena Dhanota-Jones, Consultant at Simons Muirhead Burton, analyses a recent case involving the interplay of the law on contact and Practice Direction 12J on domestic abuse.’

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Family Law Week, 10th March 2021

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Judge says recent case shows how exceptional circumstances must be if court is to use its power to dismiss care proceedings without having heard all the evidence – Local Government Lawyer

‘A Family Court judge has refused applications to dismiss care proceedings at a half-way stage made by a number of people accused of sexual offences against children.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 12th March 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ground Rules – Vulnerable witnesses – Becket Chambers

Posted March 10th, 2021 in chambers articles, children, families, news, practice directions, witnesses by sally

‘We have a new Practice Direction 3AA which covers participation in proceedings for vulnerable person who will be required to give evidence, which is effective from February 2021.’

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Becket Chambers, 26th February 2021

Source: becket-chambers.co.uk

Nazir Ahmed trial collapses due to ‘disgraceful’ late disclosure of evidence – The Guardian

‘The trial of a former Labour peer accused of sexually abusing younger children has collapsed due a “disgraceful” late disclosure of evidence by the prosecution, a judge has said.’

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The Guardian, 9th March 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Interim report reveals 400 submissions over UK gymnastics abuse – The Guardian

‘A review into abuse in British gymnastics has received submissions from nearly 400 people, with 39 cases considered so serious they have been passed to local authorities because of child safeguarding reasons or concerns of ongoing criminal conduct.’

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The Guardian, 9th March 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Quarter of women and girls have been abused by a partner, says WHO – The Guardian

Posted March 10th, 2021 in children, domestic violence, news, sexual offences, statistics, women, young persons by sally

‘Largest such study finds domestic violence experienced by one-in-four teenage girls with worst levels faced by women in their 30s.’

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The Guardian, 9th March 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Disputed respite care for Ultra-Orthodox Jewish boys: A and B – Law & Religion UK

Posted March 8th, 2021 in care homes, children, disabled persons, equality, human rights, Judaism, news by tracey

‘In A and B (Minors: placement, faith) [2021] EWHC 455 (Admin), two brothers of a family of Charedi Jews in north Manchester, acting through their uncle and litigation friend M, challenged Manchester City Council’s decision to offer them respite placement in Birtenshaw, a secular residential home in Greater Manchester, instead of in Bayis Sheli, an exclusively Orthodox Jewish residential home in London. A was 15, turning 16 in June 2021; B was 11 years, turning 12 in September 2021 [11]: they both had medical and behavioural conditions that required a very high level of supervision [12, 13 & 14].’

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Law & Religion UK , 4th March 2021

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

Doctors acted unlawfully in deciding on eligibility for drug – Court of Appeal – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted March 4th, 2021 in children, evidence, judicial review, medical treatment, medicines, news by sally

‘Sophie Basma (“Sophie”) is 10. She suffers from Type 3 Spinal Muscular Atrophy (“SMA”). SMA is a rare, genetic, neuromuscular disease which progressively leads to sufferers being unable to walk or sit unaided with devastating consequences on their quality of life. Sophie can no longer walk. There is medication for SMA sufferers which would have had the potential of helping Sophie regain her ability to work. But the NHS Trust had concluded that Sophie did not meet the eligibility criteria for this new medication, “Nusinersen”.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 4th March 2021

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

M (A Child): Live streaming from the Court of Appeal on Thursday 4th March – Should a journalist be able to see the court documents behind a flawed decision that a child needed adoption? – Transparency Project

‘This is a short blog to introduce the people and issues, and explain the lead up, ahead of the live-streamed appeal in M (A Child) tomorrow. It aims to give non lawyers a bit of orientation and some links when tuning in to the court of appeal proceedings.’

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Transparency Project, 3rd March 2021

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Judge rules council breached ECHR rights of orthodox Jewish 15-year-old boy – but not his brother – over proposal for respite placement accommodation – Local Government Lawyer

‘A High Court judge has handed down a ruling in a disagreement over whether two boys should be given respite placement accommodation in a residential home in the Greater Manchester area or in an exclusively orthodox Jewish residential home in London.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 2nd March 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Lawyers to argue for mother and baby’s right to Healthy Start in UK – The Guardian

Posted March 2nd, 2021 in benefits, children, food, health, immigration, judicial review, minorities, news by sally

‘An 11-month-old baby and her mother are bringing a case in the high court to try to secure the baby’s right to free vitamins, formula milk and nutritious food.’

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The Guardian, 1st March 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Failure to remove’ claims – the decision in HXA v Surrey County Council – Local Government Lawyer

‘Paul Stagg analyses an important decision this month on “failure to remove” claims and also summarises the other case law to date, before looking at pending cases and the likely way forward to the higher courts.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 26th February 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

High Court rejects application by mother to prevent local authority from imposing vaccinations on child in foster care – Local Government Lawyer

‘A High Court judge has rejected a mother’s application, supported by the father, to prevent a local authority from imposing a programme of vaccinations on a child in foster care without their consent.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 26th February 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

British Gymnastics faces group-claim lawsuit from 17 alleging abuse – The Guardian

‘British Gymnastics is facing an unprecedented group-claim lawsuit from 17 former gymnasts, who allege there was widespread physical and psychological abuse deployed by coaches on children as young as six as part of a “win at all costs” mentality in the sport.’

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The Guardian, 26th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Shamima Begum: Isis member loses Supreme Court battle to return to UK – The Independent

Posted February 26th, 2021 in appeals, children, citizenship, human rights, news, Supreme Court, terrorism, young offenders by tracey

‘Shamima Begum has lost her legal battle attempting to return to the UK to fight for her British citizenship. The Supreme Court found that the former Isis member did not need to be in the country to have a “fair and effective appeal”, overturning a previous ruling by the Court of Appeal.’

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The Independent, 26th February 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Family courts rule to inoculate children when parents disagree on the vaccination of their children – Garden Court Chambers

Posted February 25th, 2021 in children, consent, coronavirus, human rights, news, parental responsibility, vaccination by sally

‘Following the decision in Re H (A Child: Parental Responsibility: Vaccination), it was clarified that where two parents with parental responsibility disagree as to the proper course of action with respect to vaccination, the court becomes the decision maker through the mechanism of a specific issue order made under s8 of the Children Act 1989.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 24th February 2021

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Specific Issue Order for Vaccination-including COVID-19: M v H (Private Law Vaccination) [2020] EWFC 93 (15 December 2020) – Parklane Plowden Chambers

‘This hearing before MacDonald J was part of a wider private law dispute between parents regarding the children (P aged 6 and T aged 4) spending time with their father. A finding of fact hearing had already taken place, with a final hearing listed to commence on 21 December 2020. The original application from the father included a specific issue order, initially on MMR vaccination. This was then amended to vaccination in accordance with the NHS vaccination schedule.’

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Parklane Plowden Chambers, 24th February 2021

Source: www.parklaneplowden.co.uk