‘It’s an excuse to overreach’: families’ anger over UK police restraint deaths blamed on disputed condition – The Guardian

‘Acute behavioural disturbance and excited delirium have been cited in police watchdog reports and inquests into 44 deaths – but campaigners say it is pseudoscience.’

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The Guardian, 17th 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

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

‘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

Case Law Update: Re Z (Prohibition on Cross-Examination: No QLR) [2024] EWFC 22 – Parklane Plowden Chambers

Posted March 13th, 2024 in chambers articles, families, family courts, legal representation, news by sally

‘Sir Andrew McFarlane (President of the Family division) has handed down a very helpful and hotly anticipated judgment regarding the approach the court should adopt when it has directed a QLR be appointed for a party but no QLR has been found. Sir Andrew McFarlane took the opportunity to provide this judgment following a substantive judgment given at the conclusion of a fact-finding hearing.’

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Parklane Plowden Chambers, 19th February 2024

Source: www.parklaneplowden.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

Navigating the New UK Unmarried Partner Visa Rules – Richmond Chambers

Posted March 8th, 2024 in chambers articles, cohabitation, families, immigration, news, visas by sally

‘To enter the UK as a “partner” under Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules (“FM” being short for “Family Member”), there are three possible ways to qualify as a “partner”. First, as a “spouse”. Second, as a “civil partner”. Third, as an “unmarried partner”.’

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Richmond Chambers, 28th February 2024

Source: immigrationbarrister.co.uk

New protocol issued on disclosure of information between family and criminal agencies and jurisdictions – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 6th, 2024 in disclosure, families, family courts, local government, news, police by sally

‘A new Protocol on the disclosure of information between family and criminal agencies and jurisdictions has been launched by the judiciary.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 5th March 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Case Update: Surrogacy and Step-Parent Adoption applications – Spire Barristers

Posted March 6th, 2024 in adoption, chambers articles, children, families, news, surrogacy by sally

‘This case concerned two applications made by X and Y in relation to the child, Z, aged 3. Firstly, to vary or discharge a child arrangements order (made in August 2021) and secondly, for a step-parent adoption in favour of X. Both applications were opposed by Z’s mother, G, but supported by the Local Authority and Z’s Children’s Guardian. Taryn Lee KC of Spire Barristers acted for the 3rd Respondent, the Guardian.’

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Spire Barristers, 13th February 2024

Source: www.spirebarristers.co.uk

Stopping migrant care workers bringing their families will have a devastating effect on the UK’s already struggling care sector – EIN Blog

Posted March 6th, 2024 in care workers, families, government departments, immigration, news, visas by sally

‘The home secretary, James Cleverly, has reiterated the UK government’s plan to stop overseas care workers bringing dependants to the UK. Taking to X (formerly Twitter) on February 19, he wrote: “Today in Parliament we have laid out an order to ban overseas care workers from bringing dependants. This is just one part of our plan to deliver the biggest-ever cut in migration.”‘

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EIN Blog, 5th March 2024

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Family Law Newsletter – February 2024 – Spire Barristers

Posted March 6th, 2024 in chambers articles, children, families, family courts, news by sally

‘Family Law Newsletter – February 2024; Articles, news, legislation updates and case updates from Care Proceedings, Private Law and Financial Remedy matters.’

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Spire Barristers, 26th February 2024

Source: www.spirebarristers.co.uk

Savage v Savage – a recent Court of Appeal decision on TLATA – Tanfield Chambers

‘In the system of trusts of land introduced by the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 (“TLATA”), the court is given the power, on an application by a trustee of land or someone who has an interest in the property under the trust, to make any order relating to the trustees’ exercise of their functions as it thinks fit. The question for the Court of Appeal in Savage v Savage [2024] EWCA Civ 49 was what the court can have regard to when exercising that power.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 22nd February 2024

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

Affordability and suitability – getting the numbers right – Nearly Legal

Posted March 4th, 2024 in appeals, families, housing, local government, news by tracey

‘Ake v Lewisham Borough Council (2024) K40CL060 (Central London County Court 4 February 2024). This was a statutory appeal pursuant to section 204 of the Housing Act 1996 (‘the 1996 Act’), against a review decision made by Lewisham Borough Council on 27 February 2023. The issue on appeal was whether the review decision took an unlawful and/or unreasonable approach to the assessment of the affordability of accommodation it had secured for Ms Ake in Bow.’

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Nearly Legal, 3rd March 2024

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Launch of the Disclosure of Information between Family and Criminal Agencies and Jurisdictions: 2024 Protocol – Courts & Tribunals Judiciary

‘The Disclosure of Information between Family and Criminal Agencies and Jurisdictions: 2024 Protocol comes into effect on 1 March 2024. It replaces the 2013 Protocol and Good Practice Model: disclosure of information in cases of alleged child abuse and care directions hearings.’

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Courts & Tribunals Judiciary, 1st March 2024

Source: www.judiciary.uk

High Court authorises deprivation of liberty of seven-year-old child in registered children’s home – Local Government Lawyer

‘The High Court has granted a local authority’s application to deprive a seven-year-old boy of his liberty, with directions to use the “minimum degree of force or restraint required”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 1st March 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

‘We need more compassion’: UK families call for assisted dying reform – The Guardian

‘As MPs report on the issue, a son and daughter on how their parents’ deaths led them to campaign for a change in law.’

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The Guardian, 29th February 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Father of Brianna Ghey killer Eddie Ratcliffe jailed for sex offences – The Guardian

‘The father of one of Brianna Ghey’s killers has been sentenced to 15 months after pleading guilty to indecent exposure and taking an indecent image of a child.’

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The Guardian, 29th February 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Court of Appeal allows appeal in challenge to ‘pool finding’ in care proceedings – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 29th, 2024 in care orders, child abuse, evidence, families, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has overturned a Family Court decision concerning an injured child because of a series of legal errors.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 29th February 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk