Best Interests of Child in UK Law

There is in our view a fourth point of principle that can be inferred from the Supreme Court's judgments in ZH (Tanzania). As the use by Baroness Hale and Lord Hope of the adjective “overall” makes clear, the consideration of the best interests of the child involves a weighing up of various factors.

If, at the other extreme, all the factors of relevance to the best interests of the child consideration (save for the child's and/or parent(s) own claim that they want to remain) point overwhelmingly to the child's interests being best served by him returning with his parent(s) to his country of origin (or to one of his parents being expelled leaving him to remain living here), then very little by way of countervailing considerations to do with immigration control etc. may be necessary in order for the conclusion to be drawn that the decision appealed against was and is proportionate.

A doctor is obliged to act in the best interests of his patient. The best interests of a child and his parent normally march hand-in-hand. But when considering whether something does not feel 'quite right', a doctor must be able to act single-mindedly in the interests of the child. He ought not to have at the back of his mind an awareness that if his doubts about intentional injury or sexual abuse prove unfounded he may be exposed to claims by a distressed parent.

Absent other factors, the reason why a period of substantial residence as a child may become a weighty consideration in the balance of competing considerations is that in the course of such time roots are put down, personal identities are developed, friendships are formed and links are made with the community outside the family unit. The degree to which these elements of private life are forged and therefore the weight to be given to the passage of time will depend upon the facts in each case.

Family life consists of the inter-dependent bonds between spouses or stable partners and between parents and children with particular strength being placed upon the interests and welfare of minor children. It is not normal for family life to be enjoyed by correspondence and occasional visits (even assuming that there were no obstacles to such visits following this immigration decision).

The assessment of the best interests of the child will involve a consideration of several different factors, many of which were identified at paragraphs 29 and 30 of Lady Hale's judgment. It seems to me inevitable that, when the Tribunal comes to make the final assessment of proportionality, it will be appropriate to afford different weight to different factors depending upon the effect of removal of the individual upon them.

As it is now so well established in authority, I can summarise the jurisprudence very briefly for the purpose of the present case. In relation to each stage, recognition or enforcement is mandatory unless the ground or test for non-recognition or non-enforcement applies. The test is public policy not welfare as such, still less the paramountcy of welfare itself.