FD24P00634 - [2025] EWHC 900 (Fam)

In her witness statement dated 14 February 2025 X provided further information about the circumstances of her pregnancy and the reasons she wanted Y adopted. She said that Y’s father had brown eyes, brown skin and straight hair but she was unable to provide any further information about him because she had only met him on Snapchat and they did not exchange any detailed information about each other. She did not exchange telephone numbers with him and once he had blocked her on Snapchat after they met she was unable to remember his username. She said that they probably communicated for a couple of hours on Snapchat and he “seemed like a nice person” which is why she decided to meet with him. She spent 1-2 hours with him in Staines and after they had sexual intercourse she gave him directions about how to get to the bus or tube. She was not told his address. When she got home at about 6.00pm that night, she had been blocked by him on Snapchat and she had not seen or heard from him since. She had no way of getting in contact with him.

X explained in her witness statement the reasons why she wanted Y adopted and the impact on her if the applications weren’t granted. She said that she was doubtful whether Y’s father would have any interest in him. He had never been her boyfriend and he was young and was likely to want to move forward with his life. She said that she only had her parents and her younger brother in the UK and the rest of her family were in South Africa. She had considered whether any of her South-African-based family could provide for Y but they were all in their 50s. She did not have much of a relationship with them and did not regard herself as being close to them. They had adult children and she did not want to impose on them by asking them to look after Y. She had considered the possibility of asking a family friend in South Africa to take care of Y but she didn’t think it was in Y’s best interests for that to happen. She did not want there to be any link with the father or with her family in South Africa which would be a stressful process for her in circumstances where it was better for her and Y to have a fresh start. She also said she would be concerned about her own mental health if the father or her extended family was to be contacted. She was not ready to be a mother and wanted Y to have the best life possible which she thought would be achieved by him being adopted.

I note in the evidence of the Social Worker that X reported to the Local Authority that she had self-harmed on a number of occasions during 2023, with the last incident taking place in September/October 2023. X also reported that she had been bullied while attending school which had led to her being home schooled. On 14 November 2024 the Local Authority received three letters from X explaining the reasons why she felt she could not care for Y. X reported that she had been struggling with her mental health, including experiencing depression and occasional suicidal thoughts, which had led to her previous self-harming behaviours.