FD25P00127/ZC25C50084 - [2025] EWHC 2040 (Fam)

Fecha: 31-Jul-2025

Section 1

This judgment was delivered in private. The judge has given leave for this version of the judgment to be published on condition that (irrespective of what is contained in the judgment) in any published version of the judgment the anonymity of the applicant, the child and members of his family must be strictly preserved. All persons, including representatives of the media and legal bloggers, must ensure that this condition is strictly complied with. Failure to do so may be a contempt of court.

McKendrick J:

Introduction

This is an application issued pursuant to the High Court’s wardship jurisdiction to determine where a seventeen year old child should live. He is anonymised in the judgment as ZE. The applicant is the relevant local authority which exercises safeguarding and other statutory duties to ZE. The first respondent is his mother. The second respondent is his father. He has litigation capacity and instructs his own solicitors. The Guardian, who was appointed, has helpfully remained and appeared in person. Ancillary issues regarding contact with his mother also arise.

I heard the pre-trial review in this matter on 15 July 2025 and the final hearing took place over three days on 21 to 23 July 2025. I heard evidence from one single joint expert (a clinical psychologist); an educational psychologist; a social work manager; the respondent mother and the respondent father. I received submissions of a very high quality from counsel and reserved my decision.

I have decided that it is in ZE’s best interests to continue to live with his father. He will continue to have contact with his mother but there will be restrictions on this which will be reduced and which will then cease before a short hearing in October when I can review contact. Wardship will continue until then, at which point I hope it will be able to end. I set out my reasons for arriving at these decisions.