(Family Division; HHJ Clifford Bellamy sitting as a Deputy Judge of the High Court; 4 January 2010)

Following various unsuccessful attempts to arrange direct contact with his11-year-old child, the father applied for a residence order. The court was critical of the mother because of her hostility to contact and her inability to get her child to engage with the father. The judge also criticized the NYAS caseworker for having lost objectivity.

Balancing the different factors, the judge awarded the residence order to father on basis that the mother was unable to meet child's emotional needs.