Jacqueline Roach

Children (Public Law)

Jacqueline represents local authorities, parents, children and interveners and has a particular interest in jurisdictional issues. She appears in courts at all levels.

Examples of Jacqueline’s work are public law cases for local authorities involving allegations of non-accidental injury and/or sexual abuse that are also the subject of criminal investigation; cases involving parents who under a disability.

Jacqueline has a particular interest in fact-finding hearings in cases in which there are issues of serious non-accidental injury or sexual abuse; cases involving parents with mental disability or psychological difficulties and cases which involve children being placed outside of the jurisdiction.

Selected Cases

• Re Jake (a child) (withholding medical treatment) [2015] EWHC 2442 (Fam); 148 BMLR 1: Complex medical case involving an extremely ill child and each of the parents with learning difficulties. Ms Roach appeared on behalf of the local authority before the President.
• Re E (A Child) [2014] EWHC (Fam): leading case regarding how courts must approach a case concerning the child of a foreign national. Ms Roach appeared on behalf of the child before the President.
• WSCC v M, F,W,X,Y & Z [2011] 1 FLR 188 FD: factitious illness case where Ms Roach appeared on behalf of the father who was accused of colluding with the mother in fabricating various illnesses in their children. Hedley J allowed the local authority to withdraw its application.