A (A Child: Permission to Withdraw Proceedings)

I am required to determine an application by Z for permission to withdraw care proceedings in relation to the child A (aged [ x ]). This application was supported by all the other parties to the proceedings and I am satisfied I should give such permission. At a hearing on 7 August 2018 I gave the permission sought and indicated I would provide my reasons for reaching this conclusion in short order. This judgment sets out my reasoning. I have considered the documents contained within the final hearing bundle and the written and oral submissions of the representatives for each party.

The hearing before me was initially listed as an 8-day fact finding. Z asked the Court to make findings that B and D had inappropriately physically abused A. Further Z asked the Court to find that D had sexually abused A. Lastly, Z sought findings against B and C of neglect including a failure to protect. The details of the allegations (which it is not necessary to recite within this judgment) can be found at A100-107. At a pre-trial review on 20 July 2018 Z indicated its intention to seek to withdraw and the hearing was consequently reduced to 2 days.

It is sufficient for me to summarise the background to this application. In setting out this background I appreciate that there are significant differences of opinion between the parents and Z. This section should not be understood to set out findings of facts but rather to be an attempted neutral overview of how the case came to appear before me. I return later to my analysis of relevant features.

On 8 January 2018 A raised with the school the allegations which are central to this application. Police Protection measures were taken and she was ABE interviewed the next day. During the interview she repeated the allegations and expressed the wish to remain in foster care. In the days and weeks that followed A, B and D together with (I believe) 5 of A�s friends from school were interviewed. Statements were also taken including from C.

At hearings in July 2018 I was told tentative steps were being taken to facilitate direct contact between A and B. In the light of E�s report these efforts took on additional importance. There appeared however to be continuing equivocation on the part of A as to contact with B. Perhaps surprisingly therefore on 30 July 2018 A messaged her social worker that: