Rhetoric
The views expressed in this section of the website are that of the named authors and not necessarily the view of Families’ Alliance for Change (Herefordshire). Our mission statement clearly states that we are keen to engage in honest, open and transparent dialogue to support improvements in children’s services, this starts with all voices being heard.
If you want to submit your own piece for publication or a response to any of the pieces published here please email us at facherefordshire@proton.me.
When Better Law Doesn’t Mean Better Lives
This article completes a short Rhetoric series examining legal reasoning, access to appeals, and long‑term outcomes in public law children cases.
It explores adoption outcomes, the limits of predictive certainty, and why adult voices may ultimately be the most reliable measure of harm.
Rare, But Profound: Why Appellate Corrections Matter When Most Families Cannot Appeal
This article builds on earlier analysis of how appellate courts have tightened the application of risk, proportionality, and necessity.
It examines why those appellate corrections, while significant, are rare in practice because most families relying on legal aid are unable to pursue appeals beyond the final hearing.
Risk, Harm, and the Post‑2021 Appellate Tightening of Decision‑Making
This article is the first in a short Rhetoric series examining how appellate courts have tightened the application of risk, proportionality, and necessity in public law children cases.
The analysis focuses on post‑2021 appellate guidance and the increasing insistence on evidence‑based reasoning when permanence is being considered.