The President’s guidance on anonymisation in published judgments – Transparency Project

‘On 7 December 2018, Sir Andrew McFarlane, the President of the Family Division, issued some practice guidance to judges entitled Practice Guidance: anonymisation and avoidance of the identification of children and the treatment of explicit descriptions of the sexual abuse of children in judgments intended for the public arena(see January [2019] Fam Law 68). In it, he refers to a report written by Julia Brophy and published by the Association of Lawyers for Children (ALC) in July 2016 (J Brophy, Anonymisation and avoidance of the identification of children and the treatment of explicit descriptions of the sexual abuse of children in judgments intended for the public arena: judicial guidance, available on the ALC and Nuffield Foundation websites).’

Full Story

Transparency Project, 12th March 2019

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Medomsley detention centre saw hundreds sexually abused – BBC News

‘An officer at a former youth detention centre sexually assaulted hundreds of inmates, it has emerged.’

Full Story

BBC News, 12th March 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Doctors’ failure to spot sepsis led to toddler’s death, coroner rules – The Guardian

‘A two-year-old girl died as a result of neglect after the gross failure of doctors to diagnose sepsis, a coroner has ruled.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 12th March 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Children on standalone supervision orders most likely to see return to court for new proceedings – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 12th, 2019 in children, news, statistics, supervision orders by sally

‘Children on a standalone supervision order have the highest (20%) probability of a return to court for new S31 proceedings within five years compared to the five other types of order, research has found.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 11th March 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Half of children who are tasered come from BAME groups – report – The Guardian

Posted March 12th, 2019 in children, minorities, news, police, restraint, statistics, weapons by sally

‘Half of the children tasered by police, and a third of those restrained using spit hoods, in England are black or from other minority ethnic groups, according to figures obtained by children’s rights campaigners.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 12th March 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Mother in FGM case ‘betrayed’ three-year-old daughter by mutilating her, as she is sentenced to 13 years – Daily Telegraph

‘The first person to be convicted of FMG in Britain “betrayed” her three-year-old daughter by mutilating her, a judge said, as she jailed her for 13 years.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 8th March 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Court of Appeal decision about orders for post-adoption contact – Transparency Project

Posted March 11th, 2019 in adoption, appeals, children, contact orders, families, fostering, news by sally

‘Re B (A Child) (Post-adoption contact) [2019] EWCA Civ 29 is the first time (since a change in the law in 2014) that the Court of Appeal has considered when an order should be made that an adopted child will have continuing contact with their birth family after he or she is adopted.’

Full Story

Transparency Project, 9th March 2019

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

House of Lords report calls for digital super-regulator – The Guardian

Posted March 11th, 2019 in children, duty of care, internet, news, ombudsmen, parliament, regulations, standards by sally

‘The House of Lords has called for the creation of a digital super-regulator to oversee the different bodies charged with safeguarding the internet and replace the “clearly failing” system of self-regulation by big technology companies.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 9th March 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Former football coach jailed for offences against young boys – Crown Prosecution Service

‘A former youth football coach has been jailed for 13-and-a-half years for sexual offences against two young boys. He was also issued with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 15 years.’

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 6th March 2019

Father jailed for ‘monstrous’ acid attack on his three-year-old son – Daily Telegraph

‘A father plotted a “monstrous” acid attack against his three-year-old son in bid to win custody from his mother, a court has ruled.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 6th March 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Sajid Javid can deport mother of FGM risk girl, judge decides – BBC News

‘The Home Secretary cannot be barred from deporting a failed asylum seeker whose daughter would be at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM) if taken abroad, a senior judge decided.’

Full Story

BBC News, 5th March 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

High Court gives green light to judicial review challenge over guidance on use of children as spies – Local Government Lawyer

‘The High Court has granted charity Just for Kids Law permission to proceed with its judicial review challenge over the use of children as spies by the police and other investigative agencies.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 4th March 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Surrogacy and HFEA update: February 2019 – Family Law

‘Andrew Powell, barrister, 4 Paper Buildings, considers recent developments relating to surrogacy law, including new guidance, as well as recent cases.’

Full Story

Family Law, 1st March 2019

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Child sexual abuse inquiry to assess merit of claims against politicians – The Guardian

‘The public inquiry into child sexual abuse has come under pressure to establish whether or not allegations against senior politicians are well founded, as its attention turns to the world of politics.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 4th March 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

The decision not to lift Jon Venables’ anonymity order shows judges will not give in to the internet -The Independent

Posted March 5th, 2019 in anonymity, children, injunctions, judges, judiciary, murder, news by tracey

‘ames Bulger’s killers may evoke little sympathy but, as Will Gore explains, they remain vulnerable to being killed themselves if their new identities become widely known.’

Full Story

The Independent, 5th March 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

One in five children under supervision orders harmed again within five years – The Guardian

‘At least one in five children in England allowed to return to potentially dangerous homes under supervision orders are back in court within five years having been subjected to further significant harm, according to research.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 4th March 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Part 1 – Surrogacy and legal parentage: let intentionality prevail – Family Law

‘In this new 2-part series, Mavis Amonoo-Acquah, a barrister at Lamb Building Chambers, discusses issues surrounding Surrogacy Law, Legal Parentage and proposed reform, in light of Californian Law precedents.’

Full Story

Family Law, 1st March 2019

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Abuse survivor taking Crewe Alexandra to court – BBC News

‘Ex-Crewe Alexandra player Steve Walters is taking the club to court after he says they told him he had waited too long to report sex abuse by paedophile coach Barry Bennell.’

Full Story

BBC News, 28th February 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Shropshire baby deaths: Families could pull out of inquiry – BBC News

‘Families who have alleged failings at an NHS trust could pull out of an inquiry into their babies’ deaths.’

Full Story

BBC News, 28th February 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Appalling sexual abuse by staff of children in custody revealed by nationwide inquiry – The Independent

‘The appalling scale of sexual abuse against children as young as 11 in detention centres has been revealed by a nationwide inquiry. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) said that more than 1,000 incidents of alleged sexual abuse had been reported between 2009 and 2017.’

Full Story

The Independent, 28th February 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk