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The President of the Family Division has again described as “unprincipled and unconscionable” the complexity and delays involved in obtaining legal aid for parents who lack capacity.
In this already widely reported case, the local authority sought to place a young child for adoption.
Neither parent could get legal representation although the mother had borderline learning difficulties and the father had an IQ of 50 and would apparently need an intermediary even to give instructions.
The matter has come back as In re D (a Child) 2 [2015] EWFC 2. Both parents have now secured legal aid funding up to the final hearing, subject to monthly contributions, but the case underlines the difficulties in securing public funding for legal representation.
Sir James Munby said it was “no thanks to the system” that the parents were able to avail themselves of that assistance, but due to the “goodwill... of the legal profession... far above and far beyond the call of duty”.
“For any parent who lacks capacity the application process itself functions as a barrier to access to public funding which, in the context of a placement application, involves a potential breach of Art 6,” he said.
The parents could be “forgiven for thinking that they are trapped in a system which is neither compassionate nor even humane”. Noting that the primary focus of the hearings to date had been legal aid rather than the welfare of D, Sir James added: “Is this really the best we can do?”
Neither parent could get legal representation although the mother had borderline learning difficulties and the father had an IQ of 50 and would apparently need an intermediary even to give instructions.
The matter has come back as In re D (a Child) 2 [2015] EWFC 2. Both parents have now secured legal aid funding up to the final hearing, subject to monthly contributions, but the case underlines the difficulties in securing public funding for legal representation.
Sir James Munby said it was “no thanks to the system” that the parents were able to avail themselves of that assistance, but due to the “goodwill... of the legal profession... far above and far beyond the call of duty”.
“For any parent who lacks capacity the application process itself functions as a barrier to access to public funding which, in the context of a placement application, involves a potential breach of Art 6,” he said.
The parents could be “forgiven for thinking that they are trapped in a system which is neither compassionate nor even humane”. Noting that the primary focus of the hearings to date had been legal aid rather than the welfare of D, Sir James added: “Is this really the best we can do?”
The President of the Family Division has again described as “unprincipled and unconscionable” the complexity and delays involved in obtaining legal aid for parents who lack capacity.
In this already widely reported case, the local authority sought to place a young child for adoption.
Far-ranging month for the Chair of the Bar
Endometriosis Awareness North, a charity raising awareness of endometriosis and supporting those affected across the North of England, has received a £500 boost from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, examines the most recent data on alcohol misuse in the UK, and the implications for alcohol testing in family proceedings
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, explains how tailored financial planning can help barristers take control of their finances and plan with confidence
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
A £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs has been made to the leading UK charity tackling international parental child abduction and the movement of children across international borders
Seeing the full picture – Baljit Ubhey OBE outlines the CPS action plan to tackle violence against women and girls, offering insights directly relevant to courtroom practice
Heritage as an anchor and a compass, finding our common humanity and embracing the power of the outsider – Melina Antoniadis’s lessons learnt
Switching from a physical blue book to OneNote is simple, secure and game-changing, says Elizabeth Bowden – you’ll wonder how you managed without it...
Is the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office process fit for purpose? Women barristers’ experiences of bullying are not being reported or, if they are, they are not making it through the system, says Tana Adkin KC
Review by Daniel Barnett
