Justice for Our Children
An information resource with useful links related to Family Court Proceedings with up-to-date publications, and open discussions about possible SOLUTIONS...because Every Child Matters
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Barring Orders - Sec 94(14) CA1989
Monday, August 05, 2013
The Olive Press | een girl found in suitcase at Malaga port
ANDALUCIA, LEAD2, MALAGA • 2 COMMENTS
Teen girl found in suitcase at Malaga port
Monday, May 20, 2013
Top court upholds acquittal of mom who left baby in Walmart toilet (News Canada)
QMI Agency
OTTAWA -- Canada's top court has upheld the acquittal of a woman who left her newborn in the bathroom of a Saskatchewan Walmart after giving birth there.
The woman, identified in court documents as A.D.H., said she did not know she was pregnant when, in May 2007, she went to a Prince Albert Walmart bathroom feeling unwell. She gave birth to a baby she claims she thought was dead, and left the store shortly afterwards.
Store staff found the infant in the toilet and rescued it.
A.D.H. was charged with child abandonment, but was acquitted in 2009 because the judge believed she hadn't meant to "abandon" the baby -- a crime that requires awareness that an action was liable to endanger the life of a child.
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled Friday that the verdict will stand.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
A Mother's [Unconditional] LOVE...
as the pain etches its' signature
- inside and out
...Bound to an eternity in purgatory
Dazed like a diver with the bends,
as I drown in the sea of faces
...I am almost euphoric
I feel no more pain,
as there is no such word that can describe what is tearing my heart out
- And ripping it to shreds
Trapped in a glass prison,
unable to protect you from your captors
"Mommy is here, my Precious"
A torture that can still be felt -
Even when physically paralysed
A sensation from within...
NEVER uNdEr-EsTiMaTe
the
STRENGTH
&
POWER
of a
MOTHER's LOVE
Michelle L. Anthony November 8, 2011
For My Dearest Precious Angel xoxox
2009, December 15...
....Learning to walk again was only the beginning of this epic battle spanning over three years...and counting
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Proposed Family Bill - SW no longer required to promote contact with Parents of Looked After Children
Social workers no longer obliged to promote contact with birth parents
Instead social workers will be obliged to ensure contact arrangements have “clear purpose”, as set out in the child’s care plan. Contact will be subject to the social worker’s duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child, and legislation will specify areas social workers should consider when deciding on contact arrangements.
However, the government decided not to go ahead with its initial proposal of a presumption of 'no contact' once children have been taken into care.
The bill will also toughen up contact arrangements for adopted children. Social workers will be able to ask courts for a ‘no contact’ order when they apply for an adoption order. It would only take effect once an adoption order has been made.
Once adoption has been decided as the plan for a child, birth parents will have to ask courts for permission to apply for contact and must meet tougher criteria to do so.
BAAF: Legislation 'too crude an instrument'
The changes are intended to prevent birth parents from using social media to have unregulated contact with adopted and looked-after children.
However, John Simmonds, director of policy, research and development at the British Association of Adoption and Fostering, said he felt legislation is too crude an instrument to tackle this issue.
“How do you police it? Is it going to become a criminal offence if birth parents try to do this? I’m not sure these changes will make a lot of difference. What we need is more high quality support for birth parents, adoptive parents and social workers to navigate these complex issues,” he said.
However, he agreed the current duty to promote contact sometimes allows birth parents to intimidate social workers into allowing contact, even if it's not right for the child.
The government also included an annexe to its response to the consultation, which included the various recommendations for social worker training and practice from those consulted. It has promised to work with the sector to improve practice.
'Insult to social workers'
Nushra Mansuri, professional officer for the British Association of Social Workers, said it was a little insulting to imply that many of the problems came down to social worker training.
“Contact forms a large part of the social worker decision making process and we already spend a lot of time and thought on this. What would be more helpful is to allow social workers more time and opportunity to update themselves on the latest research and think about it in relation to their current practice.”
Related articles
Government announces major reforms in children and families bill
Life inside a modern adoption team
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Shropshire Star Reports Shropshire child case worker is struck off
A Shropshire social worker accused of a string of failures to conduct or complete assessments and to keep accurate records has voluntarily struck himself off his professional register.
As a result disciplinary proceedings against William Goodwillie, who worked for Telford & Wrekin Council, have been dropped by the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC).
The withdrawn allegations claimed he was guilty of misconduct and by reason of ‘misconduct and/or lack of competence’ his fitness to practise was impaired.
It was alleged he had failed to conduct an initial assessment on a two-year-old child who had a repeated pattern of head injuries.
In its decision to withdraw allegations the HCPC says it has acted ‘on the basis Mr Goodwillie wishes to be removed from the HCPC Register voluntarily’.
An HCPC spokesman said: “Mr Goodwillie has admitted the allegation in full and has undertaken not to practise as a social worker.”
To view this article directly from the Shropshire Star News [online] click on the hyperlink below: (if the link does not automatically open, you can manually enter the URL in your address bar)
http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2013/02/09/shropshire-child-case-worker-is-struck-off/
Tuesday, February 05, 2013
From News Archives | 1997, March 8th | SS Chief Jailed for 20 Yrs
A "career paedophile" was jailed for 18 years yesterday for a string of sexual assaults against children in care. Several of the men and women he abused over a 20-year period clapped and cheered from the public gallery of Chester Crown Court as Keith Laverack, a former senior social services manager, was sentenced.
Passing sentence, Judge Huw Daniel summarised two decades of horrific
abuse dealt out by Laverack, saying it was unquestionably the most serious case of its kind he could remember and that it would cause tremendous public outrage.
The 52-year-old had denied 20 charges of sexually assaulting young people during a career of more than 20 years as a teacher and headmaster at children's homes in Cheshire and Cambridgeshire. However, the jury of eight women and four men found him guilty of 15 of the charges - 11 of buggery and four of indecent assault.
Laverack stood with his head bowed in the dock, occasionally closing his eyes as Judge Daniel passed sentence. The judge told him he had taken advantage of damaged children to satisfy his "perverted lusts", knowing full well all his victims wanted was love, affection and security.
"None of those young children you buggered consented to what happened
to them. They were raped, many of them, by you with violence and force. They submitted through fear of violence," said Judge Daniel, adding that there was little else the children could do, and they were humiliated and oppressed in their own minds by what happened to them. "They had to live with it for years, locking it away, trying not to think of the appalling things you did to them," he said. "You made them go through the ordeal of having to recall what happened to them and suffer what many of them regard as public humiliation by having to go through the whole thing in public in giving evidence.
"You were merciless to them at the time and you showed no mercy when you were found out. You abused your position of power, the position of trust in which you were, in the worst possible way." Judge Daniel told Laverack he had abused the children at every available opportunity.
"You were confident you could get away with it because the system
allowed you to get away with it and you ensured the silence of these children by threats and sweet talk, confident in the knowledge that if these children did complain they would not be believed," he said.
"It is worthy of note that your career paedophilia started the moment you
became a master, the first permanent appointment you had at Greystone
Heath [approved school in Warrington, Cheshire] at the age of 21 or 22 and behaved that way until 1987 or thereabouts - a period in excess of 20
years." The judge said there had been three distinct periods of abuse on boys and girls at the three children's homes, and there had to be consecutive jail
sentences of six years on the buggery charges relating to each home. He
said while there had been gaps in between where Laverack appeared to
have controlled his urges to an extent, he had reverted to child abuse on every occasion.
When the applause from the public gallery died down after Laverack was taken away, Judge Daniel told the abuse victims in court: "I hope this has brought some substantial consolation to those who suffered at this man's hands." The court once more erupted into applause.
Sunday, February 03, 2013
The Adoption Agencies Regulations 2005 effect on Children Act 1989
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Family Justice Board Action Plan - a few words from Family Lore's John Bolch
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Friday, January 18, 2013
Southern Family Aid | An Introduction to Shaun O'Connell
🔹clogged with both frivolous &/or vexatious applications;
🔹Cases unnecessarily delayed due to poor management of time-tabling
🔹 Cases lacking evidence,
🔹 ICOs likewise being "used" to stall time while cases are built against parent(s)
🔹Local Authorities and supporting agencies lacking alternative (and) effective remedies,
🔹 Lack of compliance without appropriate consequences
🔹A cloak & dagger approach to family proceedings as many cases slip through the cracks of time, maladministration, & misfeasance then proceed to be buried beneath a veil of secrecy.
----------------------------------------
Working diligently, to assist parents in their own personal battle(s) against councils and other Local Authority agencies around the country, Shaun volunteers his assistance under, Southern Family Aid.
As a parent, exposed to England's draconian practices, he found himself powerless in the Courts: Furthermore, he was more so powerless a a Father with marginal "rights".
He has links to Fathers4Justice (original) and continued on his plight for "justice" and equality, long after his case had exhausted possible channels to challenge the court rulings against him (as a Father)
- see his appeal in case :
Re O’Connell and others 22nd June [2005] EWCA Civ 759
Now, in 2013 he carries a wealth of knowledge and first-hand experience in the High / Appellant Court(s).
In a Nationwide, epic campaign for transparency, accountability and equality in our Family Courts, he is along side many, who share the same passion(s) against the INjustices which occur daily.
He has stumbled down the same kafkaesque pathway, as many unwitting parents alike. And I am proud to stand alongside Shaun - seeking and researching reform in our current policies and procedures, in hope that changes in legislation ARE possible (and not just a pipe-dream) in an otherwise
"BROKEN BRITAIN"
You can visit Southern Family Aid by clicking on the hyper-link below:
http://www.southernfamilyaid.com/
(If you are unable to connect to Shaun's site directly, you can also manually enter the URL in your browser's address bar)
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Local authorities planning to increase inter-agency adoption fee
http://www.communitycare.co.uk/articles/15/01/2013/118831/local-authorities-planning-to-increase-inter-agency-adoption-fee.htm
Voluntary adoption agencies have accused councils of distorting the true cost of recruiting adopters, but this could be set to change as councils consider upping the fees they charge each other
Councils are negotiating to increase inter-agency adoption fees to ensure a level playing field between voluntary agencies and councils when recruiting adoptive parents.
In the past, voluntary adoption agencies (VAAs) have charged local authorities £27,000 for finding adoptive parents, while councils have charged each other £13,000.
This does not cover the true cost of the recruitment process, however, and VAAs have accused councils of distorting the picture and using voluntary agencies less as a result.
The Local Government Association (LGA), the Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS) and Solace, which represents council chief executives, have now agreed to increase the fee between local authorities to £27,000 on the basis that this will create a more level playing field.
An ADCS spokesperson said directors are "working hard" to progress the talks, which would also encourage councils to recruit more adopters than they actually need.
Other proposals being investigated by councils include creating a national pool of adoptive parents, developing a national market for adopter recruitment and incentivising smaller councils to work together or join consortia when recruiting adoptive parents.
Authorities will also be encouraged to pay recruitment fees and offer social workers more support when looking at other permanent options for children, such as long-term fostering and kinship care.
Councillor David Simmonds, chair of the LGA's Children and Young People Board, said councils are moving forward on increasing both the number of adopted children and adoptive parents.
But he attacked the government for not moving as quickly on key proposals, such as the adoption gateway or reducing court delays.
David Holmes, chief of the British Association of Adoption and Fostering - who has previously called for a rethink on inter-agency adoption fees - said the LGA is right to highlight that family courts are still a significant cause of delay.
"In fairness, work is underway to address this but it is taking time to implement," Holmes said.
"It is heartening that local authorities are taking forward their own positive initiatives to make the adoption process more efficient and effective."
Related articles
Government urged to look again at inter-agency adoption fees
Voluntary adoption agencies say they are being used less
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
CourtRoom Advice
You may click on the hyperlink below, otherwise you may manually input the url in your address bar:
www.courtroomadvice.co.uk
Sunday, January 13, 2013
5 Things Our Children want from Family Justice System
The Children's Services Blog
A group of 32 children and young people with experience of or interest in the family courts have compiled their top five wishes for the family justice system in 2013.
The Family Justice System Young People's Board was set up by family courts body Cafcass to advise on policy issues.
Here are their top five wishes:
1. Cases don’t drag on and are always focused on our needs
2. There is more support when we just need to speak to someone
3. We find a way for the court to keep us informed about our cases such as when big decisions are going to be made about our lives
4. Help is available when things get tough and everyone's arguments stress us out
5. We have a way to tell the people involved in our case about the good and bad bits and know they'd listen
(Image: Stew Dean on flickr)
Tuesday, January 08, 2013
ADOPTION REGISTER (BAAF) How to efficiently utilise it
The Adoption Register works with adoption agencies and adoption consortia to make sure that all children and families have the best chance of finding a suitable match. Its main purpose is to find adoptive homes for those children for whom Local Authorities cannot find a home locally.
Maximising Use of the Adoption Register -
Project Evaluation Report Published - click here to view
Children Matched Through the Register
2021 children have been matched at panel with families through the Adoption Register since December 2004:
253 children matched: 1 April 2012 to 31 December 2012 (Year 8)
351 children matched: 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012 (Year 7)
335 children matched: 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 (Year 6)
267 children matched: 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 (Year 5)
82 children matched: 1 December 2008 to 31 March 2009 (4 month extension period)
268 children matched: 1 December 2007 to 30 November 2008 (Year 4)
199 children matched: 1 December 2006 to 30 November 2007 (Year 3)
157 children matched: 1 December 2005 to 30 November 2006 (Year 2)
109 children matched: 1 December 2004 to 30 November 2005 (Year 1)
1st August 2011 - BAAF rated 'Outstanding' by OFSTED
BAAF which runs the Adoption Register for England & Wales has been rated as 'outstanding' by Ofsted in its recent inspection.
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