Charedi transgender parent wins appeal over access to children

The Appeal Court has overruled a previous legal decision to prevent a transgender Charedi father from having face to face contact with her children.

In a significant judgment published today, the court ruled that “the best interests of these children seen in the medium to longer term is in more contact with their father if that can be achieved.

“So strong are the interests of the children in the eyes of the law that the courts must, with respect to the learned judge, persevere. As the law says in other contexts, ‘never say never’. To repeat, the doors should not be closed at this early stage in their lives.”

In January of this year, a family court in Manchester ruled that the transgender parent should not have direct contact with her five children, aged three to thirteen, because of fears that the children would be marginalised or excluded from the Charedi community. Indirect contact, such as writing to the children on their birthday, was permitted.