Category: children

Grooming gangs come from ‘diverse backgrounds’, says Home Office as review finally published – The Independent

Posted December 16th, 2020 in child abuse, children, freedom of information, gangs, government departments, news, Pakistan, sexual grooming, sexual offences, statistics by sally

‘Grooming gangs come from “diverse backgrounds”, a Home Office review has concluded. The research, originally promised by Sajid Javid in 2018, was published on Tuesday following a government U-turn. The Home Office previously said releasing the paper would not be in the “public interest”, in response to a Freedom of Information request by The Independent, but committed to making it public after a petition signed by more than 130,000 people.’
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The Independent, 15th December 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Surrogacy and HFEA Update: December 2020 (Part 1) – Family Law Week

Posted December 14th, 2020 in care orders, children, families, family courts, news, surrogacy by sally

‘In the first part of his surrogacy and HFEA update, Andrew Powell of 4PB analyses some important recent judgments within the England and wales jurisdiction.’

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Family Law Week, 10th December 2020

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

UK ‘reneges on vow to reunite child refugees with families’ – The Guardian

Posted December 14th, 2020 in asylum, charities, children, families, government departments, immigration, news, refugees by sally

‘Unaccompanied children in France are being told by the French authorities that they should give up hope of being reunited with family in the UK after the Home Office failed to offer the help it had promised. With the deadline to enter the UK legally and safely under the EU’s family reunification rules due to expire at the end of the year, the Home Office is accused of reneging on its vow to help unaccompanied children reunite with family in the UK.’

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The Guardian, 13th December 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Deportation and family rights – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted December 11th, 2020 in children, criminal justice, deportation, families, fraud, government departments, human rights, immigration, news by sally

‘The European Court of Human Rights has found that the deportation of a Nigerian man from the United Kingdom violated his right to respect for private and family life guaranteed by article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The applicant in Unuane v United Kingdom successfully argued that his removal from the UK was a disproportionate interference with family life because it separated him from his children. Though finding for the applicant, the Court rejected his attack on the compatibility of the Immigration Rules – an issue that as recently as 2016 the Supreme Court had authoritatively settled. The decision is of interest for the Court’s approach to the necessary balancing exercise to be carried out in the sensitive area of human rights challenges to the deportation of foreign criminals.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 10th December 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

London man who killed his children detained in hospital indefinitely – The Guardian

Posted December 11th, 2020 in causing death of children or vulnerable adults, children, families, homicide, hospital orders, mental health, news, sentencing by sally

‘A man who slit the throats of his two young children during lockdown has been detained in hospital indefinitely.’

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The Guardian, 10th December 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Children: Private Law Update December 2020 – Family Law Week

Posted December 10th, 2020 in arbitration, children, evidence, legal representation, medical records, news by sally

‘Alex Verdan QC of 4PB analyses some recent important judgments in private children law.’

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Family Law Week, 8th December 2020

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

UK youth jail rebuked for keeping new inmates in solitary for two weeks – The Independent

Posted December 10th, 2020 in children, coronavirus, news, prisons, young offenders by sally

‘A children’s prison has been criticised by inspectors after they found that new arrivals as young as 15 were being locked in solitary confinement in their rooms for a fortnight and allowed out for just 30 minutes a day because of concerns about coronavirus.’

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The Independent, 9th December 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Vulnerable teen given tent to live in, watchdog report finds – BBC News

Posted December 10th, 2020 in care orders, children, fostering, news, ombudsmen, reports by sally

‘A teenager given a tent to live in, and a child denied the chance to say “goodbye” to his dying mother feature in a report revealing heart-breaking decisions about children in care.’

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BBC News, 10th December 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Emily Jones: woman jailed for life for killing seven-year-old in Bolton – The Guardian

Posted December 9th, 2020 in causing death of children or vulnerable adults, children, homicide, hospital orders, imprisonment, mental health, news, sentencing by sally

‘The woman who killed seven-year-old Emily Jones in a Bolton park on Mother’s Day has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of eight years.’

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The Guardian, 8th December 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Louise Smith death: Shane Mays guilty of murdering teenager in woods – BBC News

Posted December 9th, 2020 in children, families, murder, news by sally

‘A man has been found guilty of the “sexually-motivated” murder of a teenager whose body he set on fire.’

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BBC News, 8th December 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

It was “none of your business”, High Court judge tells council which refused to take part in mediation over EHC Plan because mother wanted to bring her lawyer – Local Government Lawyer

Posted December 9th, 2020 in children, disabled persons, education, families, judicial review, learning difficulties, legal representation, local government, news, regulations, school children by sally

‘A mother was entitled to bring a lawyer to support her at a mediation of her dispute with Hillingdon Council about her son’s Education, Health and Care Plan and the local authority was in breach of its statutory duties by refusing to participate, a High Court judge has ruled.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 7th December 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Under-18s banned from lottery scratchcards in crackdown – BBC News

Posted December 9th, 2020 in children, fines, gambling, government departments, news, regulations, young persons by sally

‘The age limit for playing the National Lottery is set to be raised from 16 to 18 from next October as the government moves to crackdown on gambling.’

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BBC News, 8th December 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Encrypted messaging putting children at risk of abuse, says watchdog – The Guardian

Posted December 9th, 2020 in child abuse, children, indecent photographs of children, internet, news, sexual grooming, sexual offences by sally

‘The children’s commissioner for England has warned that end-to-end encryption is putting children at risk of abuse, as a survey finds that most eight-year-olds are using messaging apps supposedly restricted to those aged 13 or older.’

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The Guardian, 8th December 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Challenge upheld to Covid-19 changes to care regime for children – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted December 8th, 2020 in adoption, care orders, children, coronavirus, ministers' powers and duties, news by sally

‘The issue before the Court of Appeal was whether the Secretary of State for Education had acted unlawfully in failing to consult certain bodies representing children in care, including the Children’s Commissioner for England, before introducing the Adoption and Children (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (“the Amendment Regulations”) following the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 7th December 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

‘Kevin’s identity was stolen by police after he died’ – BBC News

Posted December 8th, 2020 in bereavement, children, identity fraud, misuse of private information, news, police, spying by sally

‘David Crossland’s whole family died beside him on a holiday flight to Yugoslavia in September 1966. His wife Daphne, and their young children Kevin and Lynne were killed when their plane crashed in woods as it was approaching the airport in Ljubljana. David, who was sitting across the aisle from his wife and children, crawled to safety from the burning wreckage.’

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BBC News, 7th December 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK should ban use of spit hoods and Tasers on children, says Unicef – The Guardian

Posted December 8th, 2020 in children, human rights, minorities, news, police, restraint, statistics, weapons by sally

‘The use of Tasers and spit hoods on children should be banned in the UK, the global humanitarian organisation for children Unicef has recommended.’

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The Guardian, 8th December 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Met faces legal action over spies’ use of dead children’s identities – The Guardian

Posted December 7th, 2020 in bereavement, children, families, news, police, professional conduct, spying by sally

‘The relatives of dead children whose identities were stolen by undercover police officers have launched legal action against the Metropolitan police over their resulting trauma.’

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The Guardian, 7th December 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ombudsman criticises council after cancellation of transport sees teenager with autism miss start of term – Local Government Lawyer

Posted December 7th, 2020 in autism, children, compensation, disabled persons, education, families, local government, news, ombudsmen, school children, transport by sally

‘A council has agreed to pay more than £2,400 in compensation after an investigation from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman into the termination of a child’s transport to school.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 4th December 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Judge orders jury to clear woman of murdering Emily Jones in Bolton – The Guardian

Posted December 7th, 2020 in causing death of children or vulnerable adults, children, homicide, judges, juries, mental health, murder, news by sally

‘A woman with a history of violence and mental health problems who confessed to killing seven-year-old Emily Jones, has been cleared of murder.’

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The Guardian, 4th December 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Puberty Blocking — can a child consent? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted December 4th, 2020 in children, consent, gender, human rights, medical treatment, medicines, news, transgender persons by sally

‘A case about medical treatment for children experiencing gender dysphoria is bound to evoke strong feelings. So, in early October, when the parties in R (on the application of Quincy Bell and A v Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust and others arrived for the hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice, they found a buzz of press photographers and a throng of campaigners with placards.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 4th December 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com