The baby snatchers: Now teenage mother faces battle with social services to keep newborn child
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A mother faces having her newborn baby taken into care again today for the
second time in 72 hours.
A
High Court judge had ruled that social services acted unlawfully in separating
the 18-year-old from her son just two hours after he was born. But council
lawyers have now made an application for a care order.
The case started in secret before a
district judge yesterday and was adjourned until today without a decision being
made.
The
mother - known only as "G" - gave birth on Wednesday, shortly after leaving
local authority care. She is understood to have remained in hospital yesterday
during the two-hour legal hearing and it is unclear whether she will be
required at Nottingham County Court when the case continues today.
John
Hemming, a LibDem MP who campaigns for greater transparency in family courts,
said: "The fact that the case has been transferred to a county court and
adjourned shows that it is not the pushover case that the local authority
thought it was."
Mr
Hemming said he had been involved in more than 20 cases where social services
acted "illegally" and urged the young woman in today's case to
"Hang on in there. People are rooting for you".
The baby was reunited with his
mother 46 minutes after Mr Justice Munby made his order at the High Court in
London on Wednesday. Giving his ruling, he said the officials involved in
taking the baby away "should have known better" and acted "on
the face of it without lawful authority".
The
mother, who had a troubled childhood, is said to suffer mental health problems.
She was taken into care after reportedly running away from home and starting on
drugs.
Her
baby was taken after hospital staff were shown a birth plan prepared by social
workers.
It
said the mother was to be separated from the child, and no contact would be
allowed without supervision by social workers.
Last
night, Nottingham City Council issued a statement saying: "We're happy
that there is appropriate protection overnight for the baby who is our primary
concern in this case.
"Nottingham
City Council will continue to prioritise this baby's welfare."
In
his ruling, Mr Justice Munby had said social services must put in place a
package of care to meet the mother's immediate needs. He also said the council
must prepare a comprehensive "pathway" plan setting out proposals to
help her in the future.
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