header-logo header-logo

Family Division president pays tribute to Children Act

15 May 2019
Issue: 7840 / Categories: Legal News , Family , Child law
printer mail-detail

The Children Act 1989 ‘has more than stood the test of time’, Sir Andrew McFarlane, president of the Family Division, has said.

Giving the Nicholas Wall Memorial Lecture 2019 last week, he said the drafting was ‘superb’, and subsequent changes have been seen as embellishments or extensions rather than radical reform.

One sign of its flexibility, he said, is that the Family Court can make protection orders for children involved in gang culture or running ‘county lines’ if social services apply for a care order.

Unfortunately, knives are now a problem. At the Central Family Court in London’s Holborn, Sir Andrew said, 473 knives with blades more than three inches long were confiscated during security checks in the first four months of 2019. A further 320 knives were found deposited in the precincts immediately outside the court entrance.

Issue: 7840 / Categories: Legal News , Family , Child law
printer mail-details

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
The Court of Protection has ruled in Macpherson v Sunderland City Council that capacity must be presumed unless clearly rebutted. In this week's NLJ, Sam Karim KC and Sophie Hurst of Kings Chambers dissect the judgment and set out practical guidance for advisers faced with issues relating to retrospective capacity and/or assessments without an examination
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
back-to-top-scroll