News Essentials: 18th September 2021

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

NEWS

New public law cases received by Cafcass fell by almost 14 per cent in August
Cafcass received 1,259 new public law cases in August 2021 featuring 1,964 children. Full story: Family Law Week.

New private law cases received by Cafcass in August fell by 8 per cent
Cafcass received a total of 3,386 new private law cases in August 2021 which is 293 cases (16.4 per cent) fewer than the same period in 2020. Full story: Family Law Week.

Court reporting in the digital age: Justice Committee inquiry
The House of Commons Justice Committee has launched a new short inquiry into open justice and court reporting in the digital age. Full story: Family Law Week.

New cross-system approach needed to prevent violence against women and girls
Fundamental cross-system change is urgently needed to tackle an epidemic of violence against women and girls, a new report has found. Full story: Family Law Week.

Review published into safeguarding babies from non-accidental injury caused by male carers
A new report investigating the death or serious harm of 23 babies is calling for midwives, health visitors and social workers to provide more support to fathers. Full story: Family Law Week.

New Family Division Liaison Judge appointed for the North Eastern Circuit
Mr Justice Poole has been appointed as the Family Division Liaison Judge for the North Eastern Circuit. Full story: Family Law Week.

Pension inequality a major issue when couples divorce, research finds
A new report has found that men within couples have substantially more private pension wealth than women, which poses particular challenges when they divorce. Full story: University of Manchester.

Judge gives go ahead on experimental leukaemia therapy after parents disagree on daughters treatment
Specialists at the world’s most famous children’s hospital should try an experimental therapy on an 11-year-old girl suffering from leukaemia, a High Court judge has ruled. Full story: Care Appointments.

Police urged to better protect black women who face domestic abuse
Sistah Space’s call for mandatory training in UK backed by Michaela Coel, FKA twigs and Women’s Equality party. Full story: The Guardian.

Financial Remedy: digital process
A financial remedy pilot for legal professionals is enabling them to make consented divorce applications and receive outcomes digitally on behalf of clients. Full story: HM Courts & Tribunals Service.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2021
These Regulations are the second commencement regulations made under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. They bring into force sections 1 and 2 (so far as not already in force), section 3 (partially), section 63 and Part 4 (sections 57-61) of the Act on 1st October 2021, and section 3 (partially), Part 2 (sections 4-21), section 79 and section 84 of the Act on 1st November 2021. Statutory Instrument.

Judge hands down ruling on children under 16, deprivations of liberty and inherent jurisdiction after amendment of statutory scheme for placements
It remains open to the High Court to authorise, under its inherent jurisdiction, the deprivation of liberty of a child under the age of 16 where the placement in which the restrictions that are the subject of that authorisation will be applied is prohibited by the terms of the amended statutory scheme introduced by the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2021, a High Court judge has ruled. Full story: Local Government Lawyer.

Increases to emergency cost limit for legal aid work
Cost limit increases for emergency civil legal aid certificates take effect from 13 September 2021. Full story: Family Law Week.

Family Proceedings Fees Order amended
The Family Proceedings Fees Order 2008 has been amended by art 7 of the Court Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2021 in order to increase certain court fees in line with inflation. The changes come into force on 30 September 2021. Full story: Family Law Week.

Family Rights Group secures funding to improve early and pre-proceedings work with families
Family Rights Group has been successful in securing a major three-year grant from The Legal Education Foundation. Full story: Family Law Week.

Cafcass launches the ‘Together with Children and Families’ framework
Cafcass has launched its relationship-based practice framework called Together with Children and Families. Full story: Family Law Week.

Domestic Abuse Support (Local Authority Strategies and Annual Reports) Regulations 2021
These Regulations make provision in relation to support provided by local authorities to victims of domestic abuse under Part 4 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. Full story: Family Law Week.

CASES

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust v A [2021] EWHC 2517 (Fam) (15 September 2021)
Application by NHS Trust for declaration approving the use of an experimental therapy called CAR T cell therapy to treat young girl's leukaemia. Full report: Bailii.

A and S (Children), Re [2021] EWHC 2492 (Fam) (29 July 2021)
Application by 15 year old child within proceedings between parents for release of passports to enable her to travel with maternal grandmother to Siberia. Full report: Bailii.

MZ v RZ (Hague Convention 1996. Habitual Residence. Inward Return) [2021] EWHC 2490 (Fam) (06 September 2021)
Application by father under inherent jurisdiction for return of child from India, where she has been since March 2019. Judgment dealing with issues of jurisdiction and delay. Full report: Bailii.