Information about prospective adopters

In re S (a child) CA SJ 27 May

A care order had been made in respect of a young child with a care plan for adoption. One of the grounds for making the care order was the threat posed by the child’s dangerous father who had since been committed to prison and was not due for release for another year. On the basis of the father’s absence the mother made an application to discharge the care order and the paternal step-grandmother made an application for a residence order. The local authority, preparatory to moving the child to an adoptive placement, applied for a freeing order. The mother sought disclosure of details about the prospective adopters and succeeded in persuading the judge to order the release to her of information contained in a schedule drawn up by the judge. The judge stayed his order pending the hearing of an appeal by the local authority and the child’s guardian.