Government announces grants and consultations to help domestic abuse victims – The Independent

Posted February 15th, 2022 in consultations, domestic violence, news, social services, victims by tracey

‘The Government has announced a £125 million package for councils and two housing consultations to support victims of domestic abuse.’

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The Independent, 15th February 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Domestic abuse: average of 669 child protection referrals a day last year – The Guardian

Posted February 1st, 2022 in child abuse, domestic violence, news, police, social services by sally

‘Police made an average of 669 child protection referrals to social services every day last year because of incidents of domestic abuse across England and Wales, a new analysis has disclosed.’

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The Guardian, 1st February 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Dylan Scanlon: Death of Oldham boy, 5, is focus of review – BBC News

Posted January 27th, 2022 in child abuse, child neglect, news, police, social services, standards by sally

‘The death of a five-year-old boy in Oldham at the end of last year is being reviewed, a council has confirmed.’

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BBC News, 27th January 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Children’s social services in Bradford to be handed to independent trust – The Guardian

‘Bradford council has been stripped of control of its children’s social care after an investigation following the murder of 16-month-old Star Hobson found serious shortcomings in the management of the service.’

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The Guardian, 25th January 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Louise Smith death: Covid-19 restrictions ‘could have prevented appropriate support’ – BBC News

‘A teenager killed in a “sexually-motivated” murder did not receive appropriate support after reporting being raped, a review has found.’

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BBC News, 25th January 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Katy Sprague not warned of threat to kill hours before her murder – BBC News

‘A woman was not told her neighbour had threatened to kill her just hours before he murdered her, a review has found.’

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BBC News, 19th January 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Missed opportunities to prosecute double murderer, report finds – BBC News

Posted January 19th, 2022 in children, domestic violence, families, local government, murder, news, police, social services by michael

‘Opportunities were missed to prosecute a domestic abuser before he murdered his partner and her daughter, a report has found.’

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BBC News, 19th January 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Review of mother and daughter’s murders could save lives, family hopes – The Guardian

‘Relatives want an official review of the killing of Laura Mortimer and Ella Dalby to spark better collaboration between police, social services and others.’

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The Guardian, 15th January 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Star Hobson verdict: mother’s girlfriend found guilty of murdering toddler – The Guardian

‘A “cunning and clever” woman has been found guilty of murdering her girlfriend’s toddler daughter after being caught on CCTV “terrorising” the child when she was left to babysit.’

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The Guardian, 14th December 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: Review of his death ‘owes it to him’ – BBC News

Posted December 7th, 2021 in child cruelty, homicide, inquiries, murder, news, social services by sally

‘Authorities owe it to Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and all children to review events leading up to his killing, the crime and policing minister Kit Malthouse has said.’

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BBC News, 6th December 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: Dad and partner guilty of killing six-year-old – BBC News

‘A father and his partner have been found guilty of the killing of six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes.’

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BBC News, 2nd December 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Recitation is not application – Nearly Legal

‘SR v Lambeth London Borough Council, County Court at Central London, 21st October 2021 H40CL201 – HHJ Roberts (unreported elsewhere). Our thanks to Justine Compton of Garden Court Chambers for the following note of a section 204 appeal judgment on a priority need decision, refused at s.184 and s.202 review, which features (once again) Now Medical reports done with no face to face assessment being preferred by the local authority decision makers over direct and specialist medical reports submitted by the applicant.’

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Nearly Legal, 21st November 2021

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

‘Failure to remove’ claims in the High Court – Local Government Lawyer

‘Paul Stagg looks at the lessons from an important High Court ruling on ‘failure to remove’ claims.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 8th November 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Lancashire father injected toddlers with heroin, review finds – BBC News

Posted November 4th, 2021 in child abuse, child neglect, drug abuse, news, social services by sally

‘Two toddlers were injected with heroin by their father to help them sleep, a review into their care has heard.’

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BBC News, 3rd November 2021

Source: www.bbc.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.’

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Spire Barristers, 27th October 2021

Source: spirebarristers.co.uk

Lilly Hanrahan: Case review finds missed chances to check on killer – BBC News

‘Authorities’ failure to share details about a man before he murdered a girl in his partner’s care “contributed” to her death.’

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BBC News, 5th October 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Systematic failings’ in England’s care system as boy restrained in hospital – The Guardian

‘The “shameful” case of a violent 12-year-old boy who was detained in hospital by 15 police officers illustrates the “systemic failings” in England’s care system, according to the body representing all of England’s directors of children’s services.’

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The Guardian, 12th August 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

The resolutions approach: misunderstood and under-used – Family Law Week

‘Patrick Gilmore, barrister of Deans Court Chambers, describes how the resolutions approach might assist cases in which a parent denies the harm caused to a child.’

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Family Law Week, 10th August 2021

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Child protection investigations – no further action necessary? – Transparency Project

Posted July 23rd, 2021 in care orders, children, families, local government, news, social services by sally

‘Are hundreds of thousands of families being put through unnecessary investigations by unchecked social workers? That’s the suggestion made by a succession of recent news stories, some prompted by the first report of the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care. Services are ‘too focused on investigating families’, went the BBC; ‘innocent families have been traumatised by groundless investigations’, said The Times as part of a series on the issue, elsewhere reporting that ‘councils … launch abuse investigations based on a single unexplained mark’, and asserting ‘social workers too quick to wade in’, quoting the Review’s chair, Josh Macalister, as saying that social workers are ‘investigating first when [they] should be helping’.’

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Transparency Project, 23rd July 2021

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Social Worker awarded damages in Strasbourg for unfair accusations of professional misconduct – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The United Kingdom has been ordered by the European Court of Human Rights to pay damages and legal costs to a social worker who was unfairly accused of professional misconduct by a Family Court judge.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 7th July 2021

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com