Amy Ephgrave

Amy Ephgrave specialises in cases involving children and young persons; and at all levels of the Family Court from Magistrates to the Court of Appeal.

She has particular expertise in public law proceedings with a wide experience of care proceedings acting for all parties including local authorities, parents, interveners, guardians, the official solicitor, and also the police on disclosure issues.

In a recent edition of Legal 500 Amy was described as someone who “sees the main issues very quickly and gives clear guidance.” She has also been commended for her “common sense and engaging style”, and for “working beyond her call”.

She has recent experience of cases where the following key issues have featured:

• Alienation of children against a parent by another caregiver.
• Implacably hostile parents.
• Learning disabled parents & Substance dependant parents.
• Parents with significant psychiatric and psychological problems, including personality disorders.
• Parents that are children themselves,  Parents whose first language is not English.
• Poisoning of children by a parent, Significant head injuries to a child, Significant fractures to a child.
• Other significant physical harm to children (including attempted asphyxiation, stabbing in utero, over chastisement).
• Children with disabilities.
• Chronic neglect.
• Sexual abuse (including “retrial” of evidence almost 20 years old, downloading child and extreme pornography, intergenerational abuse, abuse between siblings).
• Jurisdiction/habitual residence.
• Domestic violence.
• Disclosure issues where the family and criminal jurisdictions overlap.
• Secure accommodation orders.
• Enforcement proceedings.