At a time when court’s resources are being pushed to their limits and where public law children proceedings are prioritised, it is easy to see how private law factual disputes between what is often seen as ‘warring’ parents, is regarded with less priority. However, the long-term impact of not ‘testing’ those allegations is that if they are untrue, the relationship between a parent and the child will be needlessly fractured forever. Those working in the field of child protection and mental health, know all too well how fractured relationships between a child and a parent can be carried forward into adulthood and be self-perpetuating through the generations.
In this article, June Venters QC, reports on a very recent case where she represented the Father in a Fact-Finding Hearing and shares how it was only possible through “focussed submissions and forensic cross-examination” (praise given to June by the Judge in the case) to determine that the allegations of domestic abuse were false, thereby ensuring that the children maintained their relationship with their Father.
To read the full article, click here.