Cases Archive

Parental rights – Illegitimate children – Local authority receiving children into care and passing parental rights resolution – Local authority applying to free children for adoption – Father applying for parental rights order – Family Law Reform Act 1987, s. 4

Parental rights – Children whose parents were not married to each other at the time of the births of the children – Local authority intervention – Effect of an order under Family Law Reform Act 1987, s. 4.

Adoption – Black child placed with white foster-parents – Foster-parents applying for adoption order and for consent of mother to adoption to be dispensed with on the grounds that it was unreasonably withheld – Natural father applying in wardship proceedings for care and control of child – Factors to be considered.

Evidence – Child – Sexual abuse – Child interviewed by hospital with regard to possible sexual abuse by father – Parents seeking care and control of child – Request by hospital for ruling that transcripts and videos of interviews should not be seen by child’s parents – Factors to be considered

Care proceedings – Full care hearing due to be heard – Guardian ad litem initiating wardship proceedings in High Court – Whether guardian ad litem having locus standi to issue such proceedings – Whether wardship proceedings should be terminated.

Adoption – Agreement – Natural father unaware of child’s existence until informed of adoption proceedings – Child placed with prospective adopters as baby – Whether father withholding agreement unreasonably

Wardship – Children joined as parties – Appointment of guardian ad litem – Guardian ad litem in juvenile court proceedings applying to be guardian in wardship proceedings – Matters to be taken into account in appointment of guardian ad litem.

Care proceedings – Institution of proceedings following allegations of sexual abuse by father – Father charged with sexual offences – Father applying for adjournment of care proceedings until after criminal trial – Magistrates refusing father’s application – Whether magistrates were wrong to refuse to adjourn the care proceedings pending the outcome of the criminal trial.