Latest Cafcass statistics show rise in private law cases

Latest Cafcass statistics show rise in private law cases

Posted by on Mar 17, 2016 in News

Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) is an independent agency that represents the best interests of children in court proceedings. According to their latest statistics published, February 2016 saw 3237 new private law cases which is a 10% rise from February 2015.

Private law cases are those usually involving divorces or separation where Cafcass are involved in order to settle child arrangements, such as where the children will live or how much time each parent will spend with the child/children. Cafcass’ role therefore, is an integral part of the Family Court process to ensure the best interests of children are at the centre of any decisions made.

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Transgender teen granted permission to ‘cut off’ all contact from adoptive parents

Transgender teen granted permission to ‘cut off’ all contact from adoptive parents

Posted by on Mar 15, 2016 in News

This High Court case concerns a sixteen year old child, referred to as PD, who from a young age has struggled with gender identity issues. Born a female, the child was adopted aged 6 by the parents referred to as SD and JD in the proceedings. It was not until aged 14 that the child revealed to his parents that he wanted to change his identity to become a male and his parents responded by referring him to a gender identity clinic where he was diagnosed with gender dysmorphia. In 2015 he changed his name by deed poll. However, his adoptive parents of ten years struggled to come to terms with his decision and continued to refer to him by his female birth name, ‘to his very great annoyance and distress’.

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Experience of autistic people in the family justice system to be investigated

Experience of autistic people in the family justice system to be investigated

Posted by on Mar 10, 2016 in News

Dr Rob George, a Barrister at Harcourt Chambers has recently written in his monthly column expressing his concern for the access to justice for autistic people. He noted that those that suffer with autism ‘comprise around 1% of the population, yet there is minimal knowledge about their treatment by the court system or how their condition may affect their access to justice. This is concerning, as many aspects of autism (such as inability to decode non-verbal cues or to understand non-literal language and subtext) render individuals with the condition vulnerable to being taken advantage of in negotiation or dispute settings.

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African diplomat’s daughter made ward of court after FGM fears

African diplomat’s daughter made ward of court after FGM fears

Posted by on Mar 8, 2016 in News

The daughter of an African Diplomat based in London has been given special protection after concerns were raised that she may be subjected to female genital mutilation.

The infant’s mother had voiced her worry regarding her baby daughter, who is less than a year old, and was described as being ‘very anxious and worried’ that the father would not prevent her daughter being subject to FGM. Mr Justice Keehan issued the child with a FGM protection order and made her a ward of court in order to safeguard her.

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Mother’s application granted for summary return of children to France

Mother’s application granted for summary return of children to France

Posted by on Mar 2, 2016 in News

A mother has been granted the application for summary return of her three children from the UK to France under the Hague Convention on child abduction.

The case of D (Children: Abduction) [2015] EWHC 3990 (Fam) involves a family of French nationals who relocated to the United Kingdom in 2012. However, when the parents separated the next year, the mother wanted to return to France with the children and the parties were in agreement that this relocation could take place when a suitable house had been purchased in France.

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