Re S (children) (care orders: mother's appeal)

In November 2011, the judge, sitting in the county court, made care orders in respect of two children in favour of the respondent local authority. Applications for a placement order were left outstanding. Consequently, the mother had been excluded as a possible future carer of the children.

Accordingly, she filed an appellant's notice, which was subsequently refused by the judge, McFarlane LJ. However, within the grounds of appeal was one contention which he had felt unable to deal with as he had insufficient material, namely that the psychologist, J, who had given evidence to the judge had improperly applied psychometric tests.

The mother applied to the judge to amplify his judgment, in particular to deal with the contention that J had arrived at an unacceptable conclusion because he had applied unacceptable test methodology.