Last update: Thu Jan 31 2008 19:47:37

Young mother fights to keep her baby

A young mother reunited with her baby must wait another day to find out if a social services application to remove him is successful.

The baby was taken by social services in Nottinghamshire just two hours after the 18-year-old, who can only be referred to as "G", gave birth at a hospital.

G, who had a troubled childhood and suffered mental health problems, had just left local authority care. The baby was removed without her consent after staff at the hospital were shown a "birth plan" prepared by social workers.

But a High Court hearing on Wednesday heard that "on the face of it" social services had acted unlawfully because they had not obtained a court order, and Mr Justice Munby ruled that the baby be immediately returned to his mother.

The pair have been reunited, but on Thursday the council began making its application for an interim care order in front of a district judge at Nottingham County Court.

The private hearing was adjourned after the parties failed to reach an outcome and will be resumed again on Friday.

The teenager's lawyer, Stuart Luke, from the firm Bhatia Best, said his client plans to "vigorously contest" the council's application.

He added that she would be launching a claim for damages against social services officials "arising out of the unfortunate removal of her child without lawful authority shortly after his birth".

© Independent Television News Limited 2009. All rights reserved.

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