Important Guidance for cases Involving Learning Disabled Parents

Deirdre Fottrell QC, Sarah Morgan QC and Lucy Sprinz again appeared for the Learning Disabled parents of D a child,  a case in which the President’s earlier decisions have attracted considerable media interest. In the latest decision D (A Child) (No 3 ) [2016] EWFC 1, the President emphasised again the matters to which all professionals making decisions must have regard in cases where parents and children have learning disabilities. 

He expressly approved the guidance set out by Gillen J in (Care Order: Freeing Order: Parents with a Learning Disability [2006] NI Fam 8 saying ‘I commend his powerful words to every family judge, to every Local Authority and to every family justice professional in this jurisdiction’. D (A Child) (No 4) in which the President will consider the important issues in relation to the provision of intermediary services which arose in this case is awaited.