Prospective adopters v LB Tower Hamlets [2020] – Family Law Week case summary

05 May 2020

Parents’ application for leave to oppose adoption refused. The court considered that previous decisions relating to the family were highly relevant to the decision

PJ was born in July 2019 and was removed from her parents' care some 4 days later.  She was the eighth child of the family, all of whom were involved in care proceedings.  Care and placement orders were made on 10.11.16.  Permission to appeal was refused.

In January 2018, the court considered an application to revoke the placement order.  Leave was granted and assessments directed but in June 2018 the application was rejected, Mr Justice Baker delivering an "exhaustive" judgment meticulously analysing the position of the parents at that time.  In March 2019 the parents made a further application for leave to revoke the placement order, which was heard in June 2019 by Mr Justice Hayden.  Leave was refused and permission to appeal was refused.

OH, a full sibling to PJ, was born in April 2019.  He was placed with the parents in a supported placement which broke down.  Care and placement orders were made in January 2020 by Mr Justice Hayden following another "exhaustive, forensic analysis" of the parents' position.  The court of appeal refused permission to appeal.  The parents then made this application to oppose the adoption of PJ.  Leave was refused

Read the full summary on Family Law Week.