WP (A Child)

Ms C MacKenzie BL (instructed by the Directorate of Legal Services) for the Health and Social Care Trust

Ms M Rice BL (instructed by the Official Solicitor) for the Guardian ad Litem representing the interests of the child

[2]������� This ruling has been anonymised to protect the identity of the child. �I have used the cipher WP for the name of the child.� These are not his initials and have been chosen randomly. �Nothing can be published that would identify WP, without leave of the court.

[3]������� WP was born in February 2007 and in a matter of days will be 15 years of age.� For the purposes of this judgment I have described him as a 15 year old. �His birth was registered by the Mother and the Father, an unmarried couple, on 5 March 2007. �He was given the Father�s surname.� A family proceedings court made a care order on 1 March 2018 placing WP in the care of the Trust.� The care order remains in place and parental responsibility is shared by the Trust, the Mother and the Father.

[4]������� It is not necessary to dwell on the history of WP�s upbringing.�� Social services involvement started in November 2007 and eventually culminated in his removal from his parents� care in March 2017 with concerns relating to emotional and potential physical abuse, domestic violence within the home, parental drug and alcohol abuse, and lack of supervision.� A kinship placement broke down and WP was placed with specialist foster carers in June 2017, and has remained with them since then.