Ayeeshia Jane Smith: Mum Kathryn Smith guilty of murder – BBC News
‘A mother has been found guilty of murdering her 21-month-old daughter, who died with injuries likened to a car crash victim.’
BBC News, 8th April 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: social services
Government details law changes to address fall in adoption decisions – Local Government Lawyer
‘The Government has set out how it plans to change the law to address falls in local authority adoption decisions and the courts’ granting of placement orders.’
Local Government Lawyer, 30th March 2016
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Children: Private Law Update (March 2016) – Family Law Week
‘Alex Verdan QC of 4 Paper Buildings reviews recent important judgments in private law children cases.’
Family Law Week, 23rd March 2016
Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk
Planning inspector removes affordable housing obligations from s106 agreement – OUT-LAW.com
‘A planning inspector has removed the affordable homes obligations from an agreement between a developer and an Oxfordshire council after finding that they rendered the proposed development economically unviable.’
Full story
OUT-LAW.com, 16th March 2016
Source: www.out-law.com
Battlelines drawn as shaken baby syndrome controversy set to run – The Guardian
‘Shaken baby syndrome is back in the news. Monday’s BBC Panorama programme focused on this most contentious of subjects and was itself prompted by the General Medical Council’s prosecution of Dr Waney Squier, a consultant neuropathologist who used to give evidence against those charged with injuring their baby but now provides expert evidence in their defence. On Friday she was found guilty by the GMC of giving “expert opinion evidence outside your field of expertise” in several cases that came before the criminal or family courts, and could be struck off the medical register as a result.’
The Guardian, 15th March 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Council tried to cover up failings after Poppi Worthington’s death – The Guardian
‘A local authority criticised for failing to protect Poppi Worthington’s siblings for almost a year after her death did not discipline social workers and instead applied for a draconian order in an attempt to cover-up the failings, documents show.’
The Guardian, 2nd March 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Robert Thomas: Local Government Devolution in England – UK Constitutional Law Association
‘At last, devolution is happening in England, but there are some areas of concern especially as regards the lack of public engagement and the legal framework.’
UK Constitutional Law Association, 2nd March 2016
Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org
Government’s review of child protection must not undermine vital services – The Guardian
‘The government’s review of local safeguarding children boards (LSCBs), due to report in March, is reshaping the architecture of child protection. LSCBs are tasked with oversight of agencies that protect children, including local authorities, police, schools and health. This is a fundamental review, which implies far-reaching change, and is of huge public interest. The spotlight on this review is made more intense by the cross-departmental children’s taskforce: one key outcome from it must be a better coordinated approach across government departments.’
The Guardian, 22nd February 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Rape victim whose parents took opposing sides in court sent to live with her father – Independent
‘A family court judge has made decisions about the future of a teenage girl whose parents took opposites sides after her brother went on trial accused of raping her.’
Independent, 16 February 2016
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘Shaken’ baby might return to parents – Daily Telegraph
‘Plainly exhausted’ mother probably shook baby in ‘momentary loss of control’, judge concludes.’
Daily Telegraph, 25th January 2016
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
These children died at the hands of their fathers when family courts failed to put them first – The Independent
‘Part of the problem is a lack of understanding of the nature and impact of domestic abuse, among judges and social workers. In particular, non-physical abuse is not well understood.’
The Independent, 20th January 2016
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Government to change adoption law to address fall in court orders – Local Government Lawyer
‘The Government is to change the law to make prioritising lifelong stability for vulnerable children with a loving family a legal requirement, the Department for Education has said.’
Local Government Lawyer, 18th January 2016
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Family judge criticised for not naming council that breached father’s rights – The Guardian
‘A family court judge has come under fire after refusing to name a council that violated a man’s parental rights by taking his four-year-old daughter into care without a proper investigation.’
The Guardian, 10th January 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Section 20 Children Act 1989: Consent, Not Coercion – Issue or be Damned – Family Law Week
‘Jacqui Gilliatt, barrister, and Amy Slingo, pupil, both of Four Brick Court, set out lessons to be learned from the recent judgments concerning section 20.’
Family Law Week, 24th November 2015
Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk
Questioning the Use of Section 20 – Family Law Week
‘Judith Masson, Professor of Socio-legal Studies at the University of Bristol, considers section 20 of the Children Act 1989 within its broader historic, legal and practice context.’
Family Law Week, 26th November 2015
Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk
Mother Tania Clarence who killed children ‘overwhelmed’ – BBC News
‘A woman who killed her three children had become “overwhelmed” by their care up to four years before, a report said.’
BBC News, 23rd November 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Gove admits the UK sentencing framework needs to be more sensitive, & 7 more things we learned at the 2015 Howard League AGM – Halsbury’s Law Exchange
‘Since his appointment as Justice Secretary & Lord Chancellor in May this year, the Rt Hon Michael Gove has maintained a fairly low profile. Aside from his Making Prisons Work speech in July, Mr Gove’s plans for the future of the Criminal Justice System have not been very clearly outlined. Although since his swearing in, to the delight of many, Gove has managed to overturn the previous Lord Chancellor, Chris Grayling’s ban on books for prisoners; scrapped plans to create a super youth prison; and halted massively controversial plans for the UK to undertake Saudi Arabian prison training contracts.’
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 6th November 2015
Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk
Orphan criticises Liverpool council’s ‘token’ compensation – BBC News
‘A man who received compensation after being failed by Liverpool social services as an orphaned child has said the award was a “token gesture”.’
BBC News, 2nd November 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
