Amy and others: the critical importance of a ‘proper approach’ in cases where a parent is deaf

James Cleary St Ives Chambers

In Leicestershire County Council v Amy and others [2024] EWFC 364 (B) the Designated Family Judge for Leicester Her Honour Judge Patel gave a timely reminder about the critical importance of taking a proper approach in public law children cases where one of the parents is deaf. The focus in Amy and others was around the parents being deaf but the issues identified are of wider implication in all public law children cases involving parents – or other parties – with disabilities. This article will consider the legal position in cases where one of the parents – or indeed one of the parties if there are other carers involved – is deaf. It will go onto consider the mistakes made by the local authority in Amy and others and the approach needed to be avoided in the future – including the need for a proper focus on communication (before and during proceedings) the use of specialist services and the need for a multidisciplinary approach. It concludes that many of the lessons from Amy and others are applicable in all cases involving parents with a disability. 

Read the full article here.