ECHR

See: European Convention of Human Rights

ECtHR

See: European Court of Human Rights

Early Final Hearing

Under the PLO (Public Law Outline) the court will decide early in a case whether a case should proceed straight to a final hearing without the need to proceed through all the stages of the PLO procedure.

Emergency Protection Order

Orders made under s.44 of the Children Act 1989 where, once it is established that they are likely to suffer ‘significant harm', a child may be removed from accommodation or their removal may be prevented. The order also gives the applicant parental responsibility for the child. The making of the order includes the power to exclude a person from, for example, the family home. The order lasts for eight days and can be renewed once for a further seven days only.

Children Act 1989

For a summary of the case law on Emergency Protection Orders see the article: The Interim Removal of Children from their Parents: Emergency Protection Orders, Interim Care Orders & the Impact of the Public Law Outline by Jacqui Gilliatt.

Emotional Abuse

The emotional maltreatment of a person either actively through words or acts or passively by way of neglect. A person who has been emotionally abused may exhibit a wide range of behaviour as a result. This can include low self esteem, problems with attachment, withdrawal, aggression, self harm, depression...etc.

Expert

A person with a high level of knowledge or skill usually a specialist in a particular field who is instructed to give evidence to the court on matters within their expertise.

EPO

Emergency Protection Order

European Convention of Human Rights

The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, also known as the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), was adopted by Europe in 1950 to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms. These include the right to life and the prohibition of torture.

European Court of Human Rights

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Strasbourg was set up in 1998 under the European Convention on Human Rights of 1950 in order to monitor compliance of those parties who had signed up to the European Convention of Human Rights.  All the court's decisions are published online.

Exclusion Order

This gives the court the power to exclude a person from the home in which a child who is at risk of significant harm is living. A court can include an exclusion requirement as part of the EPO. It is not a separate order to be made on its own account. (CA 1989 s.44A)