Academic Profile
Lecturer, Senior Lecturer and Professor of Law University of Sheffield 1970 – 2001
Moderator Portobello College/Dublin Business School for LL.B in Irish Law
Visiting Professor of Law at the New Zealand Universities of: Canterbury, Christchurch; Auckland; and Victoria, Wellington
Professor of Law (part – time) University of Swansea 2005 - 2011
Emeritus Professor of Law University of Sheffield 2001 to date
Joint Editor of the Child and Family Law Quarterly 1993 - 2007. A peer reviewed scholarly journal and the leading UK journal in its field with a distinguished Editorial Board. I am now on the Board.
Safeguarding Children Inquiry Reports: When the systems for child protection fail and a child dies or suffers serious significant harm a local inquiry may be thought essential. I conducted inquiries into three such cases and wrote the reports for (what was then) the Area Child Protection Committee and the Social Services Inspectorate.
Qualifications
LL.B Class 1 University of Southampton 1963
Barrister, Lincoln’s Inn 1992
Justice of the Peace 1975 - 2003
Deputy District Judge (Magistrates’ Courts) 2000 - 2010
Research Interests
- Child protection law and practice
- Private child law
- Family law policy and practice
Key Recent Publications
"Why did the courts not protect this child? Re SB and Re F" (2012) 42 Family Law 169 - 179.
"Shocking Abuse followed by a Staggering Ruling: Re MA (Care Threshold)” (2010) 40 Family Law 166 – 180 (with J Hayes)
"Removing Children from their Families: Law and Policy before the Children Act 1989" In "The Continuing Evolution of Family Law" edited by G Douglas and N Lowe, Family Law 2009
"Relocation Cases: Is the Court of Appeal applying the Correct Principles?" (2006) 18 Child and Family Law Quarterly 351 – 372
"Uncertain Evidence in Child Protection Cases" (2004) 16 Child and Family Law Quarterly 63 – 86
Book: Family Law: Principles, Policy and Practice (with C Williams) 2nd edition, Butterworths 1999 (745pp)
"Child Protection: from Principles and Policy to Practice" (1998) 10 Child and Family Law Quarterly 119 – 133
Conferences and Invited Lectures
My audiences included: Academics, Judges, Magistrates, Barristers, Solicitors, Social Workers, Children’s Guardians, Probation Officers, Doctors, Psychiatrists and Members of the Voluntary Sector.
In New Zealand I was invited to discuss Child Protection policies and procedures with the Director of Social Welfare.