Lawyers who deal with child protection cases are worried that family courts might be making it more difficult for social services departments to remove children from homes where they might be at risk.
Their concern centres on the standard of proof to be applied when courts are considering whether to take a child into care or make a supervision order when there have been serious allegations against a parent or carer, such as rape or assault.
Usually, such offences are dealt with in the criminal courts. There, an extremely high standard of evidence is required and juries have to be satisfied "beyond reasonable doubt" that the offence has been committed.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
