Overview
Family barrister Stephen Abberley, who specialises in cases involving children, thrives on challenges and has over twenty years experience in cases involving familial homicide, sexual abuse, serious cranial and other injuries, international law and cross-cultural issues. Stephen’s practice encompasses both public law cases – care, placement and adoption proceedings - and private law cases, acting for parents and children.
With a practice evenly split between representing parents, children and authorities, Stephen brings perspective on how to meet the challenges in the case likely to be presented by the opposing side.
Reported Cases:
- P And E (Care Proceedings: Whether to Hold Fact-Finding Hearing), Re - Find case law - The National Archives
- P (A Child: Fair Hearing) [2023] EWCA Civ 215
- Re D-S (Contact with Children in Care: Covid-19) [2020] EWCA Civ 1031
- Re C (A Child) (Application by Dr X and Y) [2015] EWFC 79 - [2017] 1 FLR 82
- Disclosure – Re C (A Child) (Application by Dr X and Dr Y) [2015] EWFC 79 – [2015] Fam Law 1457
- In the Matter of C (A Child) (Application by Dr X and Y) [2015] EWFC 79
- Re J (A Child) (Fact-finding) [2015]
- Re Y [2014] EWHC 3601 (Fam) - Lexis Citation 31
Family
With over twenty years of experience at the family Bar, Stephen Abberley never forgets just how daunting, confusing, and threatening court proceedings can seem to be for parents, children and even professionals. His aim is to guide people through proceedings in a way that helps them manage their fears, understand what is involved and present their case to achieve the best outcome.
PUBLIC LAW – CARE PROCEEDINGS, ADOPTION
Cases concerned with:
- Serious non-accidental injuries, including brain injuries and fractures
- Alleged fabricated or induced illness in children, including suffocation and poisoning, false reporting of illness
- Sexual abuse, within families and beyond
Represents:
- Parents accused of inflicting serious and life-threatening injuries
- Parents accused of involvement in the sexual abuse of their own or other children
- Parents of children with complex health needs, accused of inducing or fabricating illness
- Local authorities bringing proceedings in the most serious of cases, managing cases from issue to fact-finding and final hearing
- Children, either through children’s guardians or directly, who are the subject of care proceedings or who are implicated in causing harm to other children
Appears before and against:
- Mainly Circuit and High Court judges in the Family Court
- District Judges in the Family Court
- The Court of Appeal
- Frequently acts against leading counsel
- Will act as leader with other juniors when case requires
Skillsets
- Up-to-date knowledge of complex medical issues and sound research skills
- Ability to explain complex information to clients
- Advises with firmness and compassion
- No-nonsense oral and written advocacy
PRIVATE LAW - CHILDREN
Stephen Abberley has a strong private law children practice, including regularly acting in private adoption cases. His busy caseload sees him:
- Frequently instructed to represent children in complex cases
- Represent parents on a private client basis
- Experienced in private adoption cases – relatives and stepparents
- Appear before all levels of tribunal, from lay magistrates to the Court of Appeal
- Experienced in cases with international and cross-cultural elements
- Provide clear and realistic advice, as well as forthright advocacy
