Northamptonshire CC v M

Case concerning one small child, N, who was born on 30 September 2015 and so, is two years of age.  His mother is M and his father, T.  He has played no role in these proceedings nor in N’s life to date.

The maternal grandmother is C and the maternal stepfather is T (I shall for the purposes of this judgment refer to them as ‘the maternal grandparents’).  The Local Authority, Northamptonshire County Council issued an application for a care order on 12 May 2017 and on the same date, N was made the subject of an interim care order.  He was initially placed in foster care but, shortly thereafter, he was placed with the maternal grandparents, where he remains to date.

The Local Authority alleged that the mother had fabricated and exaggerated medical symptoms in N throughout the whole of his life until he was taken into care.  They sought findings of fact against the mother which if made by this court, would lead them to apply for a special guardianship order to be made in favour of the maternal grandparents.

The Children’s Guardian supported the stance of the Local Authority, namely the findings of facts sought and the order to be made.  The mother opposed the findings sought in relation to the allegations that she has exaggerated or fabricated medical symptoms for N, although she does accept that she was an overly anxious mother.  She sought the return of N to her care.  If this was not possible, she supported the placement with her mother and her stepfather, but under the auspices of a child arrangement order and not a special guardianship order.

To read the judgment, please click here.