A family court has brought to an end a father’s five-year attempt to restore contact with his teenage daughter after concluding that forcing her to see him would likely cause more harm than good.

The case involved an application by the father to enforce a child arrangements order originally made in 2012, which had provided for regular contact with his daughter. Contact stopped in November 2021, after which the father began enforcement proceedings in March 2022.

By the time the matter came before His Honour Judge Stott in January 2026, the child was 15 years old and had consistently stated that she did not want contact with her father. The court heard that she had not seen him for more than four years.

Despite strongly criticising the mother’s behaviour during the proceedings, the judge concluded there was no realistic or workable way to rebuild the relationship through further court orders.

There had been at least 13 hearings before multiple judges over a period of almost four years. The mother repeatedly failed to attend hearings, failed to engage with assessments and ignored court directions. At one stage a warrant for her arrest had been issued after repeated non-attendance.
Judge Stott described the mother’s failure to engage in the proceedings as “inexcusable” and later said her behaviour had been “lamentable”.

Reports from CAFCASS and Hertfordshire County Council raised concerns that the child had likely been influenced by the mother’s hostility towards the father. A court-appointed guardian referred to concerns about “alienating behaviours” and emotional harm caused by the child’s increasing isolation and lack of relationship with her father.

The court also heard concerns about the child’s wellbeing after she was withdrawn from school and educated at home. Professionals involved in the case said there was limited independent information about her welfare because of the mother’s lack of engagement with services.

However, the guardian concluded there was no safe or realistic way to force the rebuilding of the relationship through the court process. The judge accepted that assessment.

Judge Stott said that forcing contact or changing the child’s living arrangements would likely cause greater emotional harm and would not be workable given her age, entrenched views and the length of time without contact.

The judge said it was “with deep frustration” that the proceedings had ultimately achieved “simply nothing” for the father, who he found genuinely wanted a relationship with his daughter and had “done absolutely everything” to restore it.

The court found beyond reasonable doubt that the mother had breached the original child arrangements order without reasonable excuse. However, no unpaid work requirement or further enforcement order was made.

Instead, the judge concluded that making no further order was “the lesser of two evils”.
Please contact us if you would like more information about the issues raised in this article or any aspect of family law

Please contact Danielle Messenger if you would like more information about the issues raised in this article or any aspect of family law dmessenger@collinslaw.co.uk

Source:
Case: B v C and E
Court: Family Court at Watford
Judge: His Honour Judge Stott
Date: 28 January 2026