A Health & Social Care Trust v JK & AD

[1] The identities of the parties have been anonymised in order to protect the interests of the child to whom this judgment relates. Nothing must be published or reported which allows this child or any related adults to be identified in any way.

[2] The case relates to a young child AR who is now aged 4 years and 3 months. His parents are JK and AD. Both parents are educated, intelligent people. The father is currently in full time employment. The mother is unemployed at present.

[3] In these proceedings the Trust applies for a care order in relation to this child. The parties have agreed that the threshold criteria is met. The main issue in this case is whether I should make a care order or a supervision order. Mr Ritchie BL appeared for the Trust, Ms McGrenera QC and Mr Cleland BL for the respondent mother. Ms�Trainor BL for the respondent father and Ms Brady BL for the Guardian ad Litem ("the Guardian"). I am grateful to all counsel and their instructing solicitors for the conspicuous care and attention they have applied to this case.

[4] In the light of the core issue I have to determine I do not consider that it is productive to recite every aspect of the tortuous history of this case. However, I do set out some background as follows.

[5] It appears from the papers that the parties met in 2007. However, a romantic relationship did not progress at that time. It was 2010 when the relationship began and that led to the parties marrying on 23 December 2010. Both parties were previously married. It is significant to note that Ms K had a very troubled obstetric history involving many miscarriages and the tragic birth of a child who died shortly after being born. Dr Lynch in her psychiatric report quotes Ms K as saying "that when AR was born she thought she had won the lottery he was so perfect".