A family court judge said he was concerned about the family's relationship rather than age
A couple who claimed they were barred from adopting their grandchild due to their age had been accused of bad parenting, it has emerged.
The pair, aged 70 and 58, were caring for the girl, three, because her mother had mental health problems.
The grandfather, from Essex, said age was a factor in the court's refusal to let the child stay with the couple.
But the family court judge said his ruling, external was based on concerns about the family's relationship rather than age.
The Chelmsford Family Court document details allegations made by the mother, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, about the couple's parenting style.
The woman, who suffered a "longstanding mental health problem", said she had an "unhappy and dysfunctional childhood" which had a "negative impact upon her parenting capacity".
Named as Miss M in the judgement, the mother she did not want her child to live with her parents, and wished for her to be adopted.
'Scary situations'
Judge Hodges said his "main concern" was that the family would be "completely unable to cope with the triangular relationship" of the girl, her mother and the grandparents.
He was concerned the girl would be exposed to "scary situations" if she stayed with her grandparents and "inevitably" had contact with her mother.
"Ultimately it is that relationship which it seems to me makes it impossible for their application to succeed," he said.
Southend Council, which had applied for the court order, said age was not the "deciding factor" in its assessments.
- Published22 July 2015
