C (a Child : Care Proceedings)

a. LA: the Royal Borough of Greenwich, the Local Authority bringing these proceedings

f. PGP: F�s mother and step-father who were assessed as potential special guardians

g. MC: a cousin of M and her partner, who were also assessed as potential special guardians.

I mean no disrespect by these abbreviations, which I adopt both for convenience and because the parties have requested that this judgment be published in anonymised form. In addition to the above abbreviations, I use further abbreviations below to refer to the authors of the various reports and statements and the other witnesses.

This is my judgment following the final hearing which took place during the week commencing 18 November 2019. LA was represented by Mr Clough, M by Ms Mather, F by Ms Hughes and G by Mr Bain, all of counsel. I am grateful to each of them for their assistance. I record my particular thanks to Ms Mather, who was instructed at very short notice to represent M after counsel originally instructed was taken ill during the weekend immediately before the final hearing. I am also grateful to the advocates who assisted both parents during the hearing and to LA for enabling the advocates to attend.