MP criticised for 'ignorant' advice on family courts

John Hemming, MP for Birmingham Yardley and chair of the Justice for Families campaign group, told a BBC Panorama programme - to be broadcast tonight - that parents should go abroad if they want to keep their children, because the court system has become “unfair”.

But Cathy Ashley, chief executive of the Family Rights Group charity, described Hemming’s advice as “crass, ignorant and potentially dangerous”.

“It could seriously backfire on any parent who follows it,” she said. “It could put a child at risk in serious danger.  

“There is plenty of evidence that the most important factor in safeguarding a child who is deemed at risk, is an open working relationship between the family and social workers.

“Lack of co-operation is likely to result in the local authority seeking to apply for a care order. 

“Parents need to understand their rights, have access to specialist expert advice and the ability to constructively challenge social workers.

“John Hemming’s encouragement of them to flee is the antithesis of helpful advice to parents in such circumstances.”

The number of applications for children to be taken into care has risen significantly since the case of Baby Peter Connelly in 2008.

Between April and November last year, 7,080 applications for children to be taken into care were made to the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass).

Hemming told Panorama that once the process begins, “all the cards are held by the local authority”.

“It has large resources to fight the cases – it does all the assessments,” he said. “My advice to people – if they can afford it – is just to go abroad.