(Court of Appeal, Thorpe, Black LJJ, 20 June 2012)

The father appealed a decision refusing a further parenting assessment. The local authority was in the process of assessing the maternal aunt as a potential carer and opposed a further assessment of the father due to the inevitable delay it would cause.

The situation before the Court of Appeal was distinctly different; the father had identified an independent social worker who could produce a report in 3-4 weeks, whichever way the assessment of the maternal aunt went there was a need for further assessment of the father as he would at the very least have contact with the child. Appeal allowed.