Roshni Popli acted on behalf of the applicant mother in a rolled-up fact-finding/final hearing concerning the parties’ vulnerable 15-year-old son with complex additional needs at East London Family Court.

The mother was alleging a history of domestic abuse by the respondent father. She was also seeking orders that would allow her to make decisions in her child’s best interests without fear that the father would block those decisions.

The judge made all but one of the findings of domestic abuse sought against the father including a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour and physical assaults on two occasions.

The judge made all of the orders the mother was seeking including:

– A child arrangements order providing that any changes to the father’s contact must be approved by the local authority or by staff from the residential placement
– A specific issue order giving the mother the final say (in default of agreement between the parties) on decisions regarding the child’s medical treatment and/or health care, his education and how his educational, psychological, emotional and therapeutic needs are met
– A s91(14) order providing that no application for an order that relates to the child pursuant to s8 of the Children Act 1989, shall be made by either party without the Court’s permission.

The judge was persuaded that the circumstances were exceptional and therefore made the orders last until the child’s eighteenth birthday.

Roshni was instructed by Elizabeth Grant of Miles and Partners LLP.