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Reporting on child care proceedings in the District Court in May 2025.

Falling Through the Cracks: An Analysis of Child Care Proceedings from 2021 to 2024
Latest volume of court reports from 2024
A summary of findings from 10 years of reporting
  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    15

    Categories:

    Ethnic Minority, Habitual Residence

    Interim care order extended while assessments awaited for refugee child, habitual residence to be established

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    14

    Categories:

    Unaccompanied Minor

    Interim care order extended for unaccompanied minor

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    13

    Categories:

    Cognitive Disability, Neglect

    Interim care orders extended for four children with parents’ consent

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    12

    Categories:

    Behavioural Problems, Criminality, Mental Health, Special Emergency Arrangement, Transgender

    Interim care order extended for teenager with gender dysphoria and engaging in criminal behaviour in unapproved placement; CFA acknowledges difficulties with SEAs

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    11

    Categories:

    Criminality, Ethnic Minority, UK / United Kingdom, Voice Of The Child

    Interim care orders extended for two weeks for two boys where court heard of threats and pressure from father to engage in criminality; one child speaks to judge

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    10

    Categories:

    Lack Of Educational Support, Missing In Care / Absconding / Running Away, Special Care, Special Emergency Arrangement

    Interim care order extended for only two weeks as assessments and information on placement registration awaited

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    9

    Categories:

    No Allocated Social Worker

    Judge initially refuses to grant full extension of an interim care order because of a lack of an allocated social worker or team leader

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    8

    Categories:

    Autism, Cognitive Disability, Domestic Violence, Foster Care, Neglect, Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse

    Interim care order on consent for child in care since birth; placement questioned after sexual content found on child’s iPad; judge seeks agency review of case

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    7

    Categories:

    Emotional Abuse, Ethnic Minority

    Interim care order for boy from war-torn country after supervision order not complied with

  • Year:

    2024

    Volume:

    1

    Case number:

    6

    Categories:

    Access, Ethnic Minority, Neglect, Newborn, Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse

    Interim care order made for baby of immigrant parents where older children alleged neglect, physical and sexual abuse

This follows the discontinuation of its reporting in July 2024, as the contract with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) was coming to an end. We are very pleased that we signed a new two-year Agreement with the DCEDY in March and the members of our reporting panel have agreed to resume their work.

Over a twelve-year period, the Project provided information to the public on the operation of the child care system in the courts with the aim of promoting transparency and accountability. It published 1,050 individual court reports and a number of analytical research reports, all of which are available on this website.