Boy whose play space was dog feeding area must be adopted, judge rules

A little boy whose play space was also a dog feeding area must be placed for adoption, a family court judge has ruled.

The youngster, now three, had lived with his mother and spent a lot of time at his maternal grandmother’s home, Judge Stephen Wildblood heard.

His mother’s home was a “very poor” environment and the play space at his grandmother’s home had dog faeces in it, the judge was told.

Judge Wildblood said the youngster had suffered “profound neglect”.

Detail of the case has emerged in a ruling by the judge following a private family court hearing in Bristol.

The judge said no-one involved could be identified but said Gloucestershire County Council had responsibility for the little boy’s welfare.

He indicated that evidence about the conditions the boy lived in had emerged in a report by social workers.

“For the first two years of his life (he) lived with his mother but also spent a lot of time with his maternal grandmother,” said Judge Wildblood.

“The local authority children’s services were heavily involved in trying to support the mother and her family in caring for (him).

“However at the mother’s home (he) experienced chronic and profound neglect, a very poor home environment, exposure to the mother’s unsafe associates and to her misuse of drink and drugs.”

The judge added: “The position at the maternal grandmother’s home was not much different according to the evidence.

“(A report) said: ‘The grandmother’s house has been observed to be cluttered, chaotic and untidy, with an adult rated violent TV programme on the television. The playing space is shared with the dogs’ feeding area, resulting in it being very dirty and unhygienic. Furthermore the play space has been observed to have dog faeces in it.”

Judge Wildblood said the boy’s mother had not opposed Gloucestershire Council’s adoption application.

The youngster’s father, who was separated from his mother, had “disengaged” from family court proceedings, said the judge.

_{Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2016, All Rights Reserved.}