Judge directs local authority not to tell maternal or paternal families about placement of twins for adoption

A deputy High Court judge has agreed that a local authority need not tell any family members about twins being placed for adoption.

The twins were born in late 2022 to PQ, who is a Muslim and had a short relationship with their father.

She was able to conceal her pregnancy from her family but the relationship with the father broke down and the mother felt unable to cope as a single parent and wanted the twins adopted.

She did not fear ‘honour-based’ violence from her family but feared she and other family members would face social ostracism in their community if the fact that she had given birth outside marriage became known.

David Rees KC, sitting as a deputy judge of the High Court, said in R & S (Twins : Relinquishment : Notification) [2023] EWHC 1971 (Fam): “I understand that the local authority social worker has asked the mother on multiple occasions to inform her family of the children’s birth in order to give children’s services an opportunity to explore whether the children could be cared for within the family network.

“However, the mother has remained consistent in her view and adamant that they should not be informed.”

PQ is now about to get married, as is her brother, and she said both feared their marriages would be called off by their respective fiancées were the twins existence to become known.

The judge said: “This is a Muslim family of good standing in their community and active participants at their mosque. I therefore accept the mother’s evidence that the birth of children outside marriage would be contrary to what is expected by her family’s religious and cultural background.

“Thus whilst I accept the mother’s statement that she would not be at risk of physical violence should the existence of the children become known to her family, it is quite clear from her evidence that the wider social impact upon her, upon her parents and on her brother would be profound.”

He added: “I am fully satisfied that because of their religious and cultural heritage, disclosure of the existence of the children would have a serious and negative effect on the lives of the mother and the maternal family generally.”

Mark Smulian