Edward Kirkwood, Oliver Wraight, and Emma Gatland in Wokingham Borough Council v The Mother & Ors [2024] EWFC 273 (B)
28th Oct 2024 | Cases
Edward Kirkwood represented the Applicant Council, Oliver Wraight, instructed by Griffiths Robertson, represented the Second Respondent Father, and Emma Gatland, instructed by Oxford Law Group, represented the First Respondent Mother in Wokingham Borough Council v The Mother & Ors [2024] EWFC 273 (B) at a final hearing of care proceedings concerning two teenage children following previous findings, which included the parents assaulting the children by beating.
The children were in foster care under Interim Care Orders. The Mother is in custody following a guilty plea related to the previous findings against her. The Father wanted to regain custody of the children, in line with the children’s wishes and feelings and there were signs of the foster placement beginning to break down for one of the children.
The court found that this was a case where there was huge uncertainty for the children under either option. The court found that the balance fell in favour of making Care Orders, in particular in circumstances where the Father did not accept all of the previous findings against the parents and lacked a plan for managing the children’s relationship with the Mother post her release. Care orders made, with plan of long-term foster care and very regular contact between the children and their parents.
