Women loses custody of her 5 children

Not money saving but is this the first-of-a-kind case?

A woman in Northumberland has had 5 children taken into care, a mix of her own children and step children.

A family court judge concluded that she had caused them emotional harm.

The judge said the woman had made unfounded allegations against both of the children’s fathers.

He said she had alienated the youngsters from their fathers, “damaged their sense of identity” and caused them “significant emotional harm”.

No one in the case has been identified but will this case lead the way to more mothers, and even fathers, up in court?

You often hear how some parents (in most cases it is the mother) are keeping their child from the other parent, some often have a good reason such as domestic violence or substance abuse and they fear for their child’s safety while with the other parent.

Fathers 4 Justice has been set up for dads who are seeking to get access to their children again and I’m sure this will be interesting for them to hear.

At an earlier stage of proceedings, the judge had refused to order that the children should be taken from the woman’s care after questioning evidence put forward by a social worker.

In November the council had asked for the “immediate removal” of the children from the woman’s care pending further proceedings and decisions about their long-term futures.

But Judge Wood had refused, telling how a social worker had been asked what evidence there was that the woman was emotionally abusing the children.

The social worker had said: “I don’t have evidence that they are being emotionally abused but there is no evidence that they are not.”

Judge Wood said he had analysed evidence at a subsequent hearing earlier this year before deciding that the youngsters should be taken from the woman.

For more on this story see Chronicle Live