M v F & Anor

SH (direct access) for the Applicant BM for the 1st Respondent IK solicitor for the Child Hearing dates: 14, 19 and 20 October 2022 ____________________

i) Many of the issues of contention were around M's wish to live closer to her family of origin with S, whereas F feared that certain cultural practices within the Muslim faith, that he alleges are adhered to by Ms' family, would constitute an abusive situation. In particular he feared that S could be coerced into an arranged marriage (i.e. a forced marriage). His evidence for this is the fact that (he asserted) M had been forcibly married at 17 and subsequently ostracised by her family, which had left her with emotional scars.

ii) S felt that her father 'kind of' accepted her faith but disliked him calling her 'extreme'. She reported being ridiculed by her father's adult daughter for wishing to swim in a modest bathing costume. S also had fond words for her father, and enjoyed fun activities such as woodwork. F was given some advice about supporting S with her faith.

iii) At that time S was 'resolving her conflict of loyalty in M's favour� she feels she has to choose between her parents as she will often speak in terms of comparison�there is hurt expressed in her experience of F�S is currently feeling uncomfortable when she is alone with F.' She was reported to deal with this discomfort by offloading on a family friend by telephone and keeping the friend on the telephone with her until her mother returned home from work rather than be alone with her father'.

iv) S expressed that going to a better school was really important to her. She wished to be able to move away with her mother to achieve this. She was angry about the PSO being imposed.