Barriers to justice

Parents with learning difficulties are:

• Disproportionately represented in child care proceedings.

• Less likely to have received support in their parenting – or to have received inadequate support – before care proceedings are initiated.

• At risk of having their parental responsibility terminated on the basis of evidence that would not hold up against non-disabled parents.

• Likely to have their competence as parents judged against stricter criteria or harsher standards than other parents.

• More likely to have their children removed and their parental rights terminated as an outcome of court proceedings.

• Disadvantaged in the child protection and court process by rules of evidence and procedure, their own limitations and inadequacies in services.

• Less likely to receive support in correcting the conditions leading to termination.

Booth, T. (2000) 'Parents with learning difficulties, child protection and the courts', Representing Children, 13(3), pp. 175–188.

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