CHILD CARE &CHILDREN LAWCASE STUDY

A CHILD’S JOURNEY BACK TO HER MOTHER: ANDTHEY BOTH LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER

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The information contained in this document is for general guidance and with an informative purpose. It shouldnot be considered as legal advice. Changes to this document can be made at any time by WTB Solicitors.

Child A was placed into Local Authority fostercare after the father failed to meet the basicneeds of A. He was suffering from mental healthproblems. The mother worked away but did haveaccommodation in Manchester. There was contactmade between the mother and A, but when the mother lemother left the UK for work, A had contact withthe mother’s partner, who wanted to care for thechild with the mother, this created a bond betweenthe child and the mother’s partner.

Upon the mother’s return to the UK, she statedshe wanted her daughter to be returned to hercare and A would be cared for by the mother andher paher partner. The father also stated that he wantedA to be returned to his care. Unfortunately, thefather had now been sectioned and was hospita-lised but he was still able to express his views.

One of our WTB specialist child care lawyer re-presented the child through the children’sguardian and expressed to the court that as thefather had bfather had been hospitalised, it would be in the child’s best interest to be placed with the mother. The mother had accommodation and could offerher daughter a better stable life with the supportof her long term partner.

The Local Authority put forward to the court thatthey would still want to share parental responsi-bilitbility and it would be in A’s best interest to be placed with her mother. The court made the Care Order in favour of Local Authority and the care

proceedings concluded in June 2013.

In May 2015 following a review on how A isprogressing given the considerable time thatshe has been living with her mother and herpartner, the Local Authority decided to no longershare the parental responsibility with the father. The same laThe same lawyer who represented A, expressed tothe court that there was positivity in A’s life,the arrangements made were going well and both A and her mother are settled and happy living together. A is now happy and has muchstability in her life and her mother is able to meet all of her needs.

AAt WTB, our solicitors provide the best optionwhen it comes to representing a child and worksout what would be in the best interest of thatchild. Please visit our website www.wtbsolicitors.com or call us on 0161 224 3311if you are in a similar situation.