Religious circumcision in the courts again: P

Background

in P (Circumcision: Child in Care) [2021] EWHC 1616 (Fam), a boy aged 21 months, P, was subject to an interim care order in favour of X Local Authority. P’s mother, supported by P’s father, who were Muslim, sought the court’s authorisation to have P circumcised [2 & 3]. P had lived all his life with relatives, Mr and Mrs R, who were likely soon to become his permanent carers under a Special Guardianship Order [1]: they were not Muslims but had agreed that they would care for P throughout his life and would respect his Muslim heritage [7]. P also had an older brother and an older half-brother who lived with other relatives (not Mr and Mrs R), also under a Special Guardianship Order [5].

The Local Authority and the Children’s Guardian both contested the mother’s application, arguing that the decision should be deferred until P was older [3]. Continue reading