Teenage girl in Yorkshire council's care embroiled in family court litigation after getting pregnant

The girl had been known to social services staff at a Yorkshire council since September 2019 and was made subject to a child protection plan in October 2022, a judge was told. Staff discovered that she was pregnant three weeks after an "initial" child protection conference in October 2022, Mr Justice Mostyn heard.

Judges became involved after doctors raised concerns about the delivery of her child. Mr Justice Mostyn, who is based in the Family Division of the High Court in London, made orders allowing medics to perform a Caesarean section without the consent of the teenager’s mother if necessary. He also ruled that the teenager could be deprived of her liberty in order to facilitate and administer treatment if necessary.

The judge, who oversaw private hearings, outlined detail of the case in a ruling published on Monday. He said the teenager had given birth and indicated that she had not been deprived of her liberty and that her mother had consented to a birth plan.

Mr Justice Mostyn said bosses at Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which is based in Wakefield, had responsibilities for the teenager's medical care and had asked for orders relating to her child's birth.

The judge said the teenager was in the care of a council in West Yorkshire. He indicated that a family judge in Leeds had now taken charge of the litigation – and said that judge should decide whether the council should be named in media reports.