An 11-year-old girl was taken into care because of her parents' drug and alcohol problems. A special court program helped her father get better, but the program ended. Even with delays, the father got better and now has his daughter back, with the court providing continued support.
Key Facts
- •Care proceedings concerning 11-year-old child A with features of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome.
- •Proceedings initially commenced in the Cardiff and Vale FDAC (Family Drug and Alcohol Court) pilot.
- •Significant delays due to the exceptional circumstances of the case and the FDAC pilot's conclusion.
- •Concerns related to domestic abuse, parental alcohol and drug misuse, and unsafe living conditions.
- •Father (F) engaged with FDAC, showing significant progress, while mother (M) did not.
- •FDAC pilot concluded, impacting the support and assessment available to the family.
- •A returned to F's full-time care.
- •All parties agreed on a Supervision Order with a Care and Support Plan for A's care with F.
Legal Principles
Best interests of the child are paramount in care proceedings.
Children Act 1989 (implicitly referenced)
The court's role in providing support to families to enable children to remain with them, rather than solely removing children.
Gloucestershire County Council v A and B and C [2024] EWFC 18(B) paragraph 17 (quoted)
Outcomes
Supervision Order with a robust Care and Support Plan for child A, to be cared for by her father (F).
The court found that a Supervision Order was in the best welfare interests of A, given the progress made by F and the agreement of all parties. A Care Order was deemed unnecessary.