RG24P0700 - [2025] EWHC 1876 (Fam)

These proceedings concern a much loved three year old boy. He is anonymised in this judgment as D. The applicant is his de facto father. The respondent is his mother. The proceedings began with applications made pursuant to section 8 of the Children Act 1989 (hereafter “the 1989 Act”). It has been necessary to determine the following issues:

At the hearing I received an agreed background narrative, an agreed statement of the law and two helpful skeleton arguments from counsel. I heard brief oral evidence from Ms Cockley, a social worker. Counsel helpfully developed their written submissions. I reserved my decision. I have concluded to grant the respondent’s application and will make a declaration of parentage that the applicant is not D’s parent. I will make a joint lives with order, providing for D to live primarily with the respondent but also with the applicant. He shall, thereby, be granted parental responsibility in respect of D. I have resolved the outstanding spend time with issues. I set out my reasons for arriving at these conclusions below.