NJ v Essex County Council and Another; In re J (Care: Assessment: Fair Trial); Re J (a child) (care proceedings: fair trial): CA 11 May 2006

The family complained that the local authority had, in assessing the need for a care order, failed to follow the guideliens set down in In Re L, leading to an infringement of their human rights.
Held: Neither in the lower court nor here had the case of In re V been cited. It should have been and would have demonstrated that although minor breaches of the guidance should be rooted out, that did not mean that a minor breach was an infringement of the parent’s human rights.

Judges:

Mr Justice Wilson, Mr Justice Bennett Lord Justice Richards

Citations:

Times 21-Jun-2006, [2006] EWCA Civ 545, [2006] 2 FCR 107

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedRe M (Care: Challenging Decisions by Local Authority) FD 2001
Local authorities involved in care proceedings will infringe the rights of parents and other individual parties to them under both Article 6 and Article 8 of the Convention unless they conduct themselves with integrity, transparency and . .
CitedIn re L (Care: Assessment: Fair Trial) FD 2002
The court set out precepts to be followed by courts in preparing for care proceedings so as to ensure that they did not infringe the rights of the family to respect for their family life under article 8.
Munby J said: ‘ . . it must never be . .
CitedIn re V (a Child) (Care: pre-birth actions) CA 12-Oct-2004
Immediately after a child was born, the social worker began proceedings for it to be taken into care. The judge severely criticised the actions of the social worker before the birth. The local authority now appealed against an order at the . .

Cited by:

CitedBarracks v Coles and Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis CA 21-Jul-2006
The claimant sought to allege race discrimination and appealed refusal by the respondents to release required documents. She had been turned down for an appointment to the Trident task force, and sought disclosure of the reasons. The respondent said . .
CitedCheshire County Council and others v DS (Father) and others CA 15-Mar-2007
The court granted an appeal in care proceedings, but examined the relationship between the court and local authorities. There had been a late change in the proposed care plan and an application by grandparents to be made party. Some in the . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Children, Litigation Practice

Updated: 06 July 2022; Ref: scu.241649