News Essentials: 1st May 2021

A brief summary of the essential family law news and cases from the last week: 

NEWS

Doctors given go-ahead to end life of brain-damaged young girl in ‘heart-rending’ case
A High Court judge has given doctors the go-ahead to end the life of a brain-damaged six-year-old girl who has been at the centre of a long-running treatment fight. Full story: Care Appointments.

Practice Direction update 3 (2021): new pilot Practice Direction 36W
Pilot Practice Direction 36W brings in new provision for communicating forced marriage and female genital mutilation protection orders to the police. It came into force on 26 April 2021. Full story: Ministry of Justice.

Landmark Domestic Abuse Bill receives Royal Assent 
The bill provides protection to millions of people who experience domestic abuse and strengthens measures to tackle perpetrators. Full story: Ministry of Justice.

Child Support Agency quarterly summary of statistics: December 2020
Quarterly statistics on the progress of the Child Support Agency child support schemes to December 2020. Full story: Department for Work and Pensions.

Domestic Abuse Bill to become law after stalker plans defeated
The Domestic Abuse Bill will become law after peers withdrew demands for stalkers to be put on a register of sexual and violent offenders. Full story: BBC News.

New Pilot Practice Direction 36W brings in new provision for communicating Forced Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation Protection Orders
On behalf of the Lord Chancellor, Lord Wolfson QC (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice) has confirmed his approval of one new pilot Practice Direction supplementing the Family Procedure Rules 2010, made by the President of the Family Division under powers delegated to him by the Lord Chief Justice. Full story: Resolution.

The Family Court (Composition and Distribution of Business) (Amendment) Rules 2021
These Rules amend the Family Court (Composition and Distribution of Business) Rules 2014. Statutory Instrument.

Home Affairs Committee launches inquiries into rape and violence against women and girls
The House of Commons Home Affairs Committee has announced the terms of reference into a new inquiry into violence against women and girls. Full story: Family Law Week.

Biggest ever consultation with children in England launched by the Children’s Commissioner
On 19 April Dame Rachel de Souza, Children's Commissioner for England, launched 'The Big Ask', the biggest ever consultation with children undertaken in this country. Full story: Family Law Week.

Protocol for London and South East on domestic abuse applications being made outside the applicant’s area
The Association of Lawyers for Children has posted the above protocol issued by the Designated Family Judges for Essex and Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey, Sussex, Kent, East London and Central. Full story: Family Law Week.

CASES

S (A Child) [2021] EWCA Civ 605 (30 April 2021)
Appeal by mother from refusal of application for leave to oppose an adoption order in respect of her 5 year old son. Appeal allowed. Full report: Bailii.

F & G, Re (Discharge of Special Guardianship Order) [2021] EWCA Civ 622 (30 April 2021)
Appeal by mother against refusal to discharge a special guardianship order, where children also subject to care order. Appeal allowed. Full report: Bailii.

A County Council v M & Anor [2021] EWFC 35 (23 April 2021)
Applications by grandmother for permission to apply for either a SGO or a CAO & by LA under the inherent jurisdiction for permission not to carry out any assessment of her as a possible carer. Full report: Bailii.

AB v CD [2021] EWFC 38 (05 March 2021)
Application by father for permission to take child wherever he wants around the world. Permission granted, limited to France, Monaco and Switzerland. Full report: Bailii.

F and S (Special Guardianship Order with Supervision Order) [2021] EWFC B19 (21 April 2021)
Care proceedings in relation to 2 children. Special guardianship order made in favour of family member and her partner. Full report: Bailii.

J (A Child: Residential assessment) [2021] EWFC B18 (09 April 2021)
Care proceedings. Appeal by LA against case management decision directing that the parents and the subject child should undergo a residential assessment. Full report: Bailii.

Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust v DV (A Child) [2021] EWHC 1037 (Fam) (19 April 2021)
Application by NHS Trust for declaration that it is lawful not to provide blood transfusion during operation, against the wishes of 17 year old patient who is a practicing Jehovah's Witness. Full report: Bailii.

CLB v SLB [2021] EWHC 891 (Fam) (02 March 2021)
Proceedings in which the substantive issue is the father's wish to enforce/vary a child arrangements order. Appeal by father from case management order, including refusal to order a fact-finding hearing to investigate his allegations of parental alienation. Full report: Bailii.

LB v LB [2020] EWHC 3840 (Fam) (27 November 2020)
Rehearing of care/private law proceedings, following successful appeal by father against order that child live with mother and have no contact with father. Full report: Bailii.