Category: children

Home Office publishes new policy instruction on lifting NRPF conditions for those on student leave following concession in test case – Garden Court Chambers

Posted November 21st, 2023 in chambers articles, children, education, immigration, judicial review, news, social security, visas by sally

‘Following judicial review proceedings brought by a destitute woman and her one-year-old daughter who were denied access to public funds, the Home Office has published a new policy instruction setting out the circumstances in which no recourse to public funds (‘NRPF’) conditions will be lifted for those on student leave.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 10th October 2023

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

‘I paid £30k to protect my child from her paedophile dad’ – BBC News

Posted November 20th, 2023 in child abuse, children, families, family courts, imprisonment, news, parental rights, sentencing, sexual offences by tracey

‘When her daughter’s father was sent to prison for child sexual abuse, Bethan was horrified to discover he could still be allowed access to their child after he was released. It was a risk she wasn’t willing to take. Outside a Cardiff courtroom, a smartly dressed young woman sits waiting, anxiously. Bethan has never been inside a family court before, but she is here to try to protect her child – whose father has been convicted of paedophile offences and is currently in jail.’

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BBC News, 20th November 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ofcom provides detail on Online Safety Act ‘illegal harms’ regime – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 17th, 2023 in children, codes of practice, internet, news by tracey

‘Online content platforms operating in the UK should study recent publications issued by Ofcom to get a better handle on how the Online Safety Act will apply to them, and what they can do to meet the new legal requirements around addressing illegal content.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 16th November 2023

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Immigration Blog: Age Assessments – More Than Just a Number – Garden Court Chambers

Posted November 16th, 2023 in asylum, chambers articles, children, deportation, detention, immigration, news by sally

‘In the immigration rules (352ZD) the definition of an Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Child (“UASC”) is broad and aimed at child protection. It expressly includes children who lodged their claim whilst they were under 18 (even if they have since turned 18); their age is set in time at point of entry. This is no longer the case under section 4 IMA. On 5 July 2023, the government published a children’s rights impact assessment of the IMA, finding that it would “protect children from the risk of death, trafficking.” The Children’s Commissioner responded: “I am far from convinced that is the case. Indeed, I am concerned that the threat to a child of deportation at 18 will be a gift to traffickers, as children will feel less able to seek help from professionals and instead go missing into the hands of exploiters.”’

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Garden Court Chambers, 2nd October 2023

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Delay for children as result of longer case durations is “single most pressing issue” for family justice system, warns Cafcass in new strategic plan – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 16th, 2023 in children, delay, families, family courts, news by sally

‘The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) has published its strategic plan for 2023-26, in which it warns that delay for children as a result of longer case durations is now the “single most pressing issue” for the family justice system.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 14th November 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Council granted leave to make application for change in forename of child, subject to outcome of care order application – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 16th, 2023 in care orders, children, families, local government, names, news by sally

‘The High Court has granted leave to a local authority to make an application to change an eight-month old’s registered forename.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 16th November 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Olivia’s killer plans conviction appeal after losing minimum term challenge – The Independent

Posted November 16th, 2023 in appeals, children, imprisonment, murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘Thomas Cashman failed in a bid to challenge his 42-year sentence for the murder of Olivia Pratt-Korbel at the Court of Appeal on Wednesday.’

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The Independent, 15th November 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Church of England takes next step towards redress for abuse victims – The Independent

Posted November 15th, 2023 in abuse of position of trust, child abuse, children, Church of England, compensation, inquiries, news, sexual offences, victims by sally

‘The Church of England has taken its next step towards putting in place a “robust” scheme to deliver apologies and compensation to abuse victims.’

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The Independent, 15th November 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Senior officer in Stephen Lawrence case was ‘corrupt’, Met document claims – The Guardian

Posted November 15th, 2023 in bereavement, children, corruption, murder, news, perjury, police, professional conduct, racism by sally

‘A former Scotland Yard intelligence chief should face a new investigation into alleged perjury, the mother of Stephen Lawrence has said, after the unearthing of documents claiming he was corrupt.’

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The Guardian, 14th November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Mother whose baby died in prison calls for end to pregnant women being jailed – The Independent

Posted November 15th, 2023 in bereavement, causing death of children or vulnerable adults, children, death in custody, imprisonment, inquests, news, pregnancy, prison officers, prisons, sentencing, women by sally

‘A mother whose baby died when she gave birth alone in her prison cell has urged ministers to stop sending pregnant women to jail.’

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The Independent, 14th November 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Mothers who kill: A look at infanticide – Doughty Street Chambers

Posted November 14th, 2023 in birth, child neglect, children, homicide, murder, news, pregnancy, prosecutions by sally

‘Murders where mothers kill their babies are thankfully rare, however recent cases raise questions about the legal framework surrounding this offence, and whether laws concerning murder, manslaughter and infanticide are applied in a way that protects not only vulnerable children but also vulnerable women.’

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Doughty Street Chambers, 9th October 2023

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

How should schools and colleges investigate allegations of sexual assault against its staff? – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 13th, 2023 in appeals, child abuse, children, disciplinary procedures, employment, employment tribunals, local government, news, professional conduct, school children, sexual offences, teachers by tracey

‘Investigating allegations against staff is one of the most challenging issues for schools and colleges. Some lessons can be learned from a recent case, writes Joanne Moseley.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 10th November 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Critically-ill baby’s parents take end-of-life care fight to appeal court – The Independent

Posted November 10th, 2023 in appeals, children, citizenship, doctors, families, family courts, Italy, medical treatment, news by tracey

‘The parents of a critically ill baby who has been at the centre of a life-support fight are preparing to mount an appeal after failing to persuade a High Court judge to let the little girl receive end-of-life care at home.’

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The Independent, 10th November 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Woman found guilty of murdering toddler she was adopting decade ago – The Independent

Posted November 10th, 2023 in adoption, causing death of children or vulnerable adults, child cruelty, children, families, murder, news by tracey

‘A woman has been found guilty of murdering a one-year-old child she was in the process of adopting.’

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The Independent, 9th November 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Man who posed as model agent to sexually exploit teenage girls jailed – The Guardian

Posted November 10th, 2023 in child abuse, children, imprisonment, news, sentencing, sexual offences by tracey

‘A man who posed as a modelling agent in order to target and sexually exploit three teenage girls has been jailed for 13-and-a-half years.’

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The Guardian, 9th November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

My heart breaks – solitary confinement in hospital has no therapeutic benefit for people with a learning disability and autistic people – Mental Capacity Law and Policy

Posted November 9th, 2023 in autism, children, detention, disabled persons, government departments, hospitals, learning difficulties, news by sally

‘Baroness Sheila Hollins has published her final report as Chairperson of the Independent Care (Education) and Treatment Review (IC(E)TR) programme for people with a learning disability and autistic people in inpatient settings. In fact the final report was completed in July 2023, but was not published until 8 November 2023, alongside the Government’s responses.’

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Mental Capacity Law and Policy, 9th November 2023

Source: www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk

Court of Appeal allows appeal by father over interim care order – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 9th, 2023 in appeals, care orders, children, drug abuse, families, local government, mental health, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has allowed a father’s appeal against interim care orders made in respect of his three children.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 8th November 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

End solitary confinement for children and limit it for adults, review demands – The Independent

Posted November 9th, 2023 in autism, children, detention, disabled persons, government departments, hospitals, learning difficulties, news by sally

‘Autistic children and those with a learning disability should never be subjected to long-term segregation in hospital – and its use should be “severely curtailed” for adults, a review has recommended.’

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The Independent, 8th November 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

First Online Safety Act guidance for tech platforms targets grooming – BBC News

Posted November 9th, 2023 in child abuse, children, codes of practice, internet, news, ombudsmen, sexual offences by sally

‘Social media platforms should fight online grooming by not suggesting children as “friends” by default, the communications watchdog says.’

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BBC News, 8th November 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Drunk father jailed for manslaughter of disabled son in motorway crash – The Independent

Posted November 7th, 2023 in alcohol abuse, causing death of children or vulnerable adults, children, disabled persons, families, homicide, imprisonment, news, sentencing by sally

‘A father whose disabled 12-year-old son was killed while trying to run across the M62 has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.’

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The Independent, 6th November 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk