A judge had declined to make a freeing order, where it was clear that the children would not be returned to their parents, and the proposed adoption arrangements, which would split the children between two families, was opposed by the father on that ground. The judge felt that a reasonable parent could well oppose arrangements which would mean the children losing contact with each other. On appeal the judge’s order was overturned. The correct question to determine the reasonableness of an objection was, applying the evidence, and the current values of society, whether the advantages of adoption justified the overriding of the parent’s wishes.
Citations:
Times 04-Jul-2000, Gazette 07-Sep-2000
Statutes:
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Citing:
Cited – Re C (a Minor) (Adoption: Parental Agreement: Contact) CA 1993
Where adoption is to be considered against the will of the parent, the court should recognise when asking whether the opposition was unreasonable that the test is objective and supposes that this person is endowed with a mind and temperament capable . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Adoption
Updated: 10 May 2022; Ref: scu.81878
