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| Mother to fight bid to take baby | Mother to fight bid to take baby |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A teenage mother from Nottingham who was reunited with her newborn baby by a judge will face a social services application to take the boy away again. | A teenage mother from Nottingham who was reunited with her newborn baby by a judge will face a social services application to take the boy away again. |
| The baby was born to the 18-year-old, who has just left local authority care, in a hospital early on Wednesday. | The baby was born to the 18-year-old, who has just left local authority care, in a hospital early on Wednesday. |
| A High Court judge ruled the boy was taken without a court order. | A High Court judge ruled the boy was taken without a court order. |
| Solicitor Stuart Luke said the mother, who has mental health problems, would oppose any move to take the newborn boy away from her. | |
| Social services will apply for an interim care order in a Nottingham court to remove the child from the mother's care. | |
| The boy was returned to his mother - who was taken into care after running away from home and started taking drugs - about nine hours after being taken by social services staff. | |
| Mother and child were reunited 46 minutes after Mr Justice Munby's order Stuart Luke, mother's solicitor | Mother and child were reunited 46 minutes after Mr Justice Munby's order Stuart Luke, mother's solicitor |
| Mr Luke said she was also launching a claim for damages against the social services officials "arising out of the unfortunate removal of her child without lawful authority shortly after his birth". | Mr Luke said she was also launching a claim for damages against the social services officials "arising out of the unfortunate removal of her child without lawful authority shortly after his birth". |
| The baby was taken after staff at the hospital were shown a "birth plan" that was prepared by social workers. | The baby was taken after staff at the hospital were shown a "birth plan" that was prepared by social workers. |
| The plan said the mother, who had a troubled childhood and suffers from mental health problems, was to be separated from the child, and no contact would be allowed without supervision by social workers. | The plan said the mother, who had a troubled childhood and suffers from mental health problems, was to be separated from the child, and no contact would be allowed without supervision by social workers. |
| At the High Court, sitting in London, Mr Justice Munby said that "on the face of it" social services officials in Nottinghamshire had acted unlawfully because they had not obtained a court order. | At the High Court, sitting in London, Mr Justice Munby said that "on the face of it" social services officials in Nottinghamshire had acted unlawfully because they had not obtained a court order. |
| He said removal of a child could only be lawful if a police constable was taking action to protect a child, or there was a court order in place. | He said removal of a child could only be lawful if a police constable was taking action to protect a child, or there was a court order in place. |
| Mr Luke, from the firm Bhatia Best, said: "Mother and child were reunited 46 minutes after Mr Justice Munby's order at 1209." | Mr Luke, from the firm Bhatia Best, said: "Mother and child were reunited 46 minutes after Mr Justice Munby's order at 1209." |
| 'Intervention powers' | 'Intervention powers' |
| John Coughlan from the Association of Directors of Children's Services, said the legal process was very clear. | John Coughlan from the Association of Directors of Children's Services, said the legal process was very clear. |
| "Every step of that process has got a very thorough series of checks and balances including independent representation across the piece for family, children and the local authorities, and very, very thorough court and judicial intervention powers," he said. | "Every step of that process has got a very thorough series of checks and balances including independent representation across the piece for family, children and the local authorities, and very, very thorough court and judicial intervention powers," he said. |
| The judge said social services must put in place a package of care to meet the mother's immediate needs as a vulnerable person. | The judge said social services must put in place a package of care to meet the mother's immediate needs as a vulnerable person. |
| He also said the council must prepare a comprehensive amended "pathway plan" setting out proposals to assist her in the future by no later than 8 February. | He also said the council must prepare a comprehensive amended "pathway plan" setting out proposals to assist her in the future by no later than 8 February. |