Preemptive Closed Adoption in UK

From the UK, this case involves actions by several judges involved in chlid welfare. A family judge at London’s Appeal Court, Lord Justice Munby, is forcing a closed adoption of a now-one-year-old child born to a 14-year old mother. There have been no neglect or abuse charges. She and her mother have been trying to keep the child within the biological family. The lower court judge ruled that no further parental assessments were necessary! There does not appear to be any attempt to offer social services to this family. The reason for the closed placement is due to her age and emotional and behavioral problems. This is a preemptive closed adoption.

“At Worcester County Court earlier this year, Judge Richard Rundell said it was ‘unrealistic’ to expect the mother to look after her baby.

He said that given her own emotional and behavioural problems, a further assessment of her parenting skills would serve ‘absolutely no purpose’.

The grandmother’s ‘eloquent and passionate’ pleas to care for the baby also came to nothing in September when Appeal Court judge Lord Justice Ward rejected her pleas, despite describing the case as ‘heart-rending’ and declaring himself ‘overwhelmed with sympathy’.”

“Before Lord Justice Munby, the mother’s lawyers argued Judge Rundell had been ‘plainly wrong’ to refuse her a further parenting assessment before severing her from her baby.

They argued the mother had ‘matured immeasurably’ and deserved another chance.

However, the judge today said the local authority’s plan was for a closed adoption and Judge Rendell ‘was entitled to conclude as he did and for the reasons he gave’.

‘The ultimate balance was for the judge to strike’, he said, refusing the mother permission to appeal against Judge Rundell’s decision.”

Girl who gave birth at 14 loses right to keep her baby after judge hears she is ‘barely able to care for herself’
[Daily Mail  10/25/11 by Jessica Satherly]

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