Man has seventh child taken into care despite ‘heroic’ efforts of social worker to keep family intact
A man has had a seventh child taken from his care after council social services staff told a High Court judge of their worries about his “sexual behaviour”.
Lawyers representing social workers raised a number of concerns about the man, and his partner, and said the child, a boy, approaching his first birthday, was at risk of suffering significant harm at home.
They said the man engaged in “sexual violence”, was “inclined to over-sharing sexual information”, had a narcissistic personality disorder, and placed his needs above others.
Social workers said his partner deferred to his views.
They said there was no likelihood of the woman placing the child’s needs above her needs or the man’s needs – and no prospect of a separation.
The man and woman disagreed and said their son should stay in their care.
But Mr Justice Hayden has ruled that the boy should be placed for adoption.
The judge said there was a continuing risk of “sexually aggressive behaviour and domestic violence”.
He said there was a “chasm” between the child’s needs and his parents’ ability to meet them.
The judge has outlined in conclusions in a ruling published online after a nine-day hearing in the Family Division of the High Court.
He said the couple could not be identified in media reports but said Tower Hamlets Council (pictured) in London had responsibility for the boy’s welfare and had made an adoption application.
Mr Justice Hayden said every professional had done their best to keep the family together.
He said a social worker had “worked heroically”.
The judge said another child had already been taken from the couple’s care.
Five children from a previous relationship had been taken from the man’s care.
Another judge, in separate family court litigation, had concluded that the man had raped a previous partner.
He had denied rape.
Three children from previous relationships had also been taken from the woman’s care.
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