Curtis Ball in Birmingham City Council v FM & Ors [2025] EWFC 381 (B)
16th Dec 2025 | Cases
Curtis Ball, instructed by Birmingham Children’s Trust, represented the applicant Local Authority in Birmingham City Council v FM & Ors [2025] EWFC 381 (B); care proceedings relating to five children, issued following concerns including neglect, poor parental mental health and domestic abuse.
This case concerned five siblings, aged 3–16, who have lived with their maternal aunt since November 2022, following serious concerns about their mother’s neglect, mental health issues, substance misuse and unsafe relationships.
The Local Authority’s threshold included the children being left alone, the mother’s drink-driving with the children in the car, the children’s poor school attendance, her psychiatric admissions, and her refusal to engage with support.
Both fathers had inconsistent involvement and concerns, but neither sought to provide care for their respective children.
All parenting assessments for the parents were negative. The aunt was positively assessed and had been consistently providing the children with stability, routine and care.
Despite recent improvements in the mother’s mental health and sobriety, her engagement with support services remained superficial, and concerns persisted about her lack of insight into how her behaviour and lifestyle impacted the children.
The children, settled and thriving, expressed clear wishes to remain with their aunt. The court concluded that rehabilitation was premature and ordered that the aunt should continue to care for all five children, with agreed contact arrangements.
