James Cleary has represented the mother – Amy – in Leicestershire County Council v Amy & Ors (Re Lack of Multiagency Approach to Deaf Parents) [2024] EWFC 364 (B).
Amy was profoundly deaf. The local authority wanted to remove Amy’s children from her care because they said she was unable to meet their care needs. The final hearing proceeded – including evidence from an independent social worker who had assessed Amy and supported the local authority.
At the end of the local authority case though the Judge accepted that the local authority had not provided specialist support to Amy – tailored around her being deaf – or adopted a multi-agency approach. The Judge set out in her judgment the approach that should be taken with deaf parents.
The Judgement can be read here.
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