An interim care order was extended in a case described by the court as “very sad”, involving a child whose mother had disengaged from services for a prolonged period and had expressed no interest in maintaining contact. The matter of a citizenship application was raised.
The solicitor for the Child and Family Agency (CFA) sought to proceed by affidavit on an uncontested basis, noting that the mother had not attended court and had disengaged for approximately two years. The child remained in the placement and was reported to be doing well.
The guardian ad litem (GAL) supported the application, adding that the mother had previously approached the CFA seeking to relinquish care of the child with a view to adoption, but that contact had since ceased entirely. The child was settled in placement and receiving appropriate supports, including educational and therapeutic input.
An issue arose in relation to a S.47 application concerning citizenship, with a request to dispense with parental consent. It was indicated that this matter would be addressed separately. In granting the extension, the judge noted the absence of parental engagement and confirmed that the threshold remained satisfied. He observed that the mother had made it clear that she did not wish to be involved and described the case as “very sad”. The matter was listed for further consideration of the citizenship issue.