BL v MK [2025] EWFC 489 (25 May 2025)

BL v MK [2025] EWFC 489 (25 May 2025)

The welfare of the children requires that they live with their father, with no order for contact with the mother unless she re-engages, due to findings of emotional harm caused by the mother and her inability to meet the children's needs; supervised contact pathway is endorsed if mother seeks to re-engage.

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2025] EWFC 489
Parties
Applicant: BL; First Respondent: MK; Second Respondent: The Children (by their Children's Guardian)
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
25 May 2025
Procedural Posture
Family Court Child Arrangements / Final Hearing and Judgment
Outcome
Children to live with their father; no order for contact with mother unless she re-engages; father granted enhanced parental responsibility for routine and urgent matters.
Legal Topics
Child Arrangements, Parental Responsibility, Supervised Contact, Emotional Harm, Fact Finding, Sibling Contact, Therapeutic Intervention
Family Law Child Welfare Child Arrangements Parental Responsibility Supervised Contact Emotional Harm Fact Finding Sibling Contact +1 more

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Parties

BL

Applicant

MK

First Respondent

The Children (by their Children's Guardian)

Second Respondent

Procedural Posture

Family Court Child Arrangements / Final Hearing and Judgment

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether the children should live with their father or mother
  2. 2 Whether contact with the mother should be supervised or permitted
  3. 3 Assessment of emotional harm and parental fitness

Ratio Decidendi

The welfare of the children requires that they live with their father, with no order for contact with the mother unless she re-engages, due to findings of emotional harm caused by the mother and her inability to meet the children's needs; supervised contact pathway is endorsed if mother seeks to re-engage.

Court Disposition

Children to live with their father; no order for contact with mother unless she re-engages; father granted enhanced parental responsibility for routine and urgent matters.

Orders

  • Children live with father; father to make day-to-day decisions on health, education, welfare.
  • If mother seeks contact, pathway: indirect contact for 3 months, then supervised video calls, then supervised visits, before any unsupervised contact.