Multi-agency cooperation and complex care needs agreed

Case report: [2021] EWCOP 21. As more agencies get involved in a vulnerable person’s care and living arrangements, it can be harder to navigate the fine line between them to reach a solution.  Rachel Turner, who is joint head of our mental health ...

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Care order application dismissed after threshold not crossed in alleged non-accidental injury case

Case report: [2021] EWFC B36. A local authority’s application for a care order in respect of two children, issued after the discovery of an alleged non-accidental injury following their sibling’s death, was dismissed and the family was applauded for their ...

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Do care proceedings allow enough time for parents with a disability to develop parenting skills?

Case report: Confidential.  Kate Hammond recently represented children in care proceedings after the local authority raised concerns about their parents, both of whom have learning disabilities. This case has potentially important implications for the way parents with learning disabilities are ...

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Housing secured after DWP error on Universal Credit

Lawyers from our housing team recently helped a victim of domestic violence to keep her home, after an error by DWP created a threat of eviction. Our client had been a victim of persistent and long-term domestic violence from her ...

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Court of Protection confirms right to refuse proposed inpatient treatment

Case report: A Mental Health Trust v ER & Anor [2021] EWCOP 32 (30 April 2021). Mrs Justice Lieven confirmed that it was not in the best interests of our client to ‘be forced to accept treatment … she does ...

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Varying a joint lives divorce settlement to achieve a clean break

Having agreed all the arrangements for accommodation, children and finances after a divorce, most people are able to move on to build a new life and become self-sufficient without having to revisit the financial settlement.  However, there are occasions where ...

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Safeguarding six children from eviction

After accumulating rent arrears of £7,000, a mother of six children faced eviction from her rented property when possession proceedings were commenced in June 2019. Rajea Sultana succeeded in obtaining a suspension to the eviction warrant, covering all the hearings, ...

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Vulnerable adult with Covid-19 saved from sofa surfing

Our client had ended up ‘street homeless’ after leaving an abusive relationship, and she suffered from mental health problems arising from the abuse including PTSD.  When the local council had determined that she was not a priority need, she was ...

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Child maintenance responsibilities enforced in China with a Schedule 1 application

Case report: Confidential Some parents will do anything to try and avoid paying their share of child maintenance, even moving to the other side of the world.  But this does not mean that they are beyond the reach of English ...

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