X, Re

Mr Nicholas Stonor (instructed by Northumberland County Council Legal Services) for the local authority Mr Tim Spain (instructed by David Gray) for Z Miss Lesley McKenzie (instructed by David Gray) for Y Miss Rachel Hudson (instructed by Wholley Goodings LLP) for X Mr Justin Gray (instructed by Moorehouses) for the Government of Kenya Hearing dates: 21-25, 28-30 April, 1-2, 8 and 15 May 2008 ____________________

i) The first (NE07C00837) is an application by the local authority for a care order, the proceedings having been begun in the Family Proceedings Court on 24 May 2007 and subsequently transferred to Newcastle County Court and then to the High Court.

ii) The other (NE07Z01886) is an application by Mr Y and Ms Z to adopt X issued on 4 December 2007 pursuant to leave given by Her Honour Judge Moir on an application for leave (NE07Z01064) issued by them on 21 June 2007.

Within the overall framework of the care proceedings there is also an application by the Government of the Republic of Kenya (the GRK) for an order under the inherent jurisdiction to return X to her country of origin.

ii) that X's welfare, now, into the future, throughout her childhood, into adulthood and throughout her life, requires � indeed, demands � that, if at all possible, she should achieve permanency through adoption or, if adoption is not possible, through long-term fostering, in either case in Kenya .