[2025] EWHC 927 (Fam)

The application was made in July 2024 and was the subject of standard case management directions on 5 November 2024. A hearing was listed for either the making of further directions or a parental order. Prior to the hearing, the parental order reporter, Ms X, produced a report recommending that B be made the subject of a parental order in favour of Mr and Mrs K.

The application came before me on 28 February 2025. Helpfully, Mr Powell had prepared a comprehensive skeleton argument which acknowledged that, though Mr and Mrs K could, with ease, satisfy the statutory criteria in s. 54 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 (“the HFEA 2008”), the court would wish to examine the welfare limb of the application with care. Given the regard which a court in these applications is obliged to have to the child’s lifelong welfare pursuant to s.1 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 (“ACA 2002”), I gave further directions aimed at establishing the arrangements for B’s care should either or both of Mr and Mrs K become incapacitated or die. I also made a lives with child arrangements order to clothe both Mr and Mrs K with parental responsibility for B pending the next hearing which was listed on 28 March 2025. I did so because there was no one in this jurisdiction who had parental responsibility for him.