A Local Authority v The Mother & Ors

Mr Alistair Perkins (instructed by the London Borough of Haringey ) for the Applicant

Covid-19 Protocol: This judgment was handed down remotely by circulation to the parties� representatives by email and release to BAILII. The date and time for hand-down is deemed to be at 10:30am on Monday 11 th May 2020. See Also: [2020] EWHC 1162 (Fam)

I should record that the parent�s marriage had broken down in circumstances of mutual recrimination and considerable acrimony. Indeed, there were allegations of verbal and domestic abuse which led to the police being called on two occasions. On the second of these, the 16 th February 2018, the parents both made allegations of assault against the other. By this time the father had moved out of the home but was visiting to collect B for contact. The father was arrested and interviewed but not charged.

Sometimes it needs to be highlighted that people go in to social work to do good. It is a simple fact that many social workers carry caseloads that are far too heavy; they are sometimes given inadequate guidance by their line managers and they have, particularly in recent years, been operating in circumstances where resources of all kinds have become depleted. Inevitably, they will get things wrong. Some will simply lack the degree of skill and ability that is required but overwhelmingly they do their best. They are entitled, if nothing else, to common courtesy.

�I think it�s happened because of a lack of knowledge how to work this particular case and a real lack of understanding of what safeguarding actually means. A lack of understanding of role of Guardian, because of that also a �side� mentality and a lack of liaison with me.