....sorry I should have made it clear that (In re C (A child)(Adoption: Local authority duty) was a previous judgement about the 'rights' of a father who, not only had had no contact with his child but was unaware of the child's existance being born as the result of a 'casual relationship'

In these dificult and emotive decisions it is the judges who have the ultimate responsibility of interpreting the legislation not the Local Authority who act under guidance from previous judgements such as the one in 2007 (where new adoption legislation was challenged)described above

As I said, I have my own views both about the legislation and 'social worker bashing' but I, likewise, make 'no comment' on the judgement in either case.