Children: Public Law Update (Winter 2022) – Family Law Week
‘John Tughan QC of 4PB considers recent judgments that public law child lawyers need to know about.’
Family Law Week, 7th January 2022
Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk
Category: fostering
Court of Appeal upholds refusal of application for placement orders in case where parents showed “grossly unreasonable attitude” towards professionals – Local Government Lawyer
‘A local authority has failed to persuade the Court of Appeal that a judge’s refusal of its applications for placement orders in respect of children aged two and almost four was irrational.’
Local Government Lawyer, 10th November 2021
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Family Law Newsletter – Spire Barristers
‘Issue #53 of Spire Barristers’ Family Law Newsletter: edited by Chloe Lee and Philippa Pudney; news and Case Reviews by Francesca Massarella. Francesca began pupillage at Spire Barristers in September 2021.’
Spire Barristers, 27th October 2021
Source: spirebarristers.co.uk
Fostering agencies and religious beliefs – Local Government Lawyer
‘The Court of Appeal has recently ruled on the legality of a fostering agency’s requirement that potential carers must be Christians. Natasha Isaac examines the case.’
Local Government Lawyer, 22nd October 2021
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Research Briefing: Financial support for family and friends carers (kinship carers) – House of Commons Library
‘This House of Commons Library briefing paper considers what help is available for grandparents and other family and friends carers (also known as kinship carers) looking after children where their parents are not in a position to do so.’
House of Commons Library , 7th October 2021
Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk
Court of Appeal rules on the legality of Christian requirement by fostering agency – UK Human Rights Blog
‘In this claim for judicial review, the issue was whether it was lawful for the claimant independent fostering agency (Cornerstone) only to accept heterosexual evangelical Christians as potential carers under the Equality Act 2010 (EA 2010) and the European Convention on Human Rights (the Convention).’
UK Human Rights Blog, 7th October 2021
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
Independent fostering agency loses appeal over lawfulness of only accepting heterosexual evangelical Christians as potential carers – Local Government Lawyer
‘The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by an independent fostering agency over whether it is lawful for it only to accept heterosexual evangelical Christians as potential carers.’
Local Government Lawyer, 27th September 2021
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
When a case is described finely balanced, how important are the children’s expressed wishes and feelings? Dorset Council v M & Ors (Removal : Balance of Harm) [2021] EWFC B43 – Transparency Project
‘Every case is fact specific but what makes cases like this interesting is seeing what it was that made the Judge’s decision fall on the opposite side of the line to the professionals when the decision is said to be “finely balanced” and “on a knife edge”.’
Transparency Project, 7th September 2021
Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk
Revocation of adoption orders – Local Government Lawyer
‘The Court of Appeal recently heard an appeal against an order dismissing an application by the birth mother of three children to revoke an adoption order made in respect of those children. Fran Massarella looks at the outcome.’
Local Government Lawyer, 3rd September 2021
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Ombudsman criticises London borough over failures as corporate parent to former looked-after child who alleged abuse – Local Government Lawyer
‘The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has said the London Borough of Lewisham exposed a former looked after child to “significant harm” after it failed to address her claims of abuse while in foster care properly.’
Local Government Lawyer, 22nd June 2021
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Newborn care report sparks judicial response – Law Society’s Gazette
‘Judges are to investigate the use of urgent hearings in proceedings involving babies, after a study found that 85% of mothers in cases involving newborns being taken into care were given less than seven days’ formal notice.’
Law Society's Gazette, 4th June 2021
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘Overwhelming and emotionally traumatic’: 1 in 6 new mothers only given a day’s notice of care proceedings, research says – The Independent
‘One in six mothers involved in care proceedings over the last year were given just a day’s notice of a court hearing to decide whether their newborn child would be taken into care, according to research. The vast majority of such women in England and Wales receive less than one week’s notice, new analysis shows.’
The Independent, 5th June 2021
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Postcode lottery for baby care orders – judge – BBC News
‘Care order applications are usually made when social workers decide a mother is unable to look after her child on her own. The baby will probably go into foster care and it may be adopted.’
BBC News, 4th June 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Court of Appeal allows appeal over decision by Family Court judge not to separate mother and baby – Local Government Lawyer
‘The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal by a local authority over a judge’s decision not to separate a mother and a baby.’
Local Government Lawyer, 15th April 2021
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
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.’
Local Government Lawyer, 15th March 2021
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Stuck Between a Virus and a Human Rights Breach… – Garden Court Chambers
‘These are strange times and the risks posed by the pandemic are constantly changing and increasing. The impact of this on individuals is significant and concerns about personal safety are high. Balancing those concerns with schooling, home schooling and contact means this will become even more difficult.’
Garden Court Chambers, 24th February 2021
Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk
Vulnerable teen given tent to live in, watchdog report finds – BBC News
‘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.’
BBC News, 10th December 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Court of Appeal highlights need for early legal advice where adoption placements near point of breakdown – Local Government Lawyer
‘The first reported occasion on which the courts have had to consider whether prospective adopters gave notice of their wish to return the child highlights the need for early legal advice, the Court of Appeal has said.’
Local Government Lawyer, 30th November 2020
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Court of Appeal hands down ruling on changing nationality of children in care – Local Government Lawyer
‘A local authority cannot seek to change the nationality of children in care without the matter being considered by the High Court, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’
Local Government Lawyer, 13th August 2020
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
