Prospective Adopters v A

Facts

A is the mother of B, a girl now two years and eight months old whose father is unknown. A lacks capacity to conduct the proceedings. She acts through the Official Solicitor as her litigation friend and is a protected party under rule 2.3 of the Family Procedure Rules. She lives in residential accommodation under an adult deprivation of liberty safeguard, and her contact with others and her use of the internet are restricted. On 29 October 2024 HHJ Parker made care and placement orders for B. He approved a time-limited search for an open adoptive placement but did not treat ongoing direct contact as a fundamental part of B's plan. B was placed with the prospective adopters on 24 July 2025. Direct contact stopped and then resumed, and the adopters described B as significantly dysregulated after contact, sometimes for up to a week. The adopters applied for an adoption order. A supported the placement and did not oppose adoption. Everyone agreed there should be contact four times a year. A wanted all four to be face to face. The local authority, the adopters and the Children's Guardian proposed one face-to-face contact, one video contact and two creative indirect contacts. On 9 April 2026 the court gave the Official Solicitor permission to seek an order under section 51A of the Adoption and Children Act 2002, which the other parties opposed.