Damages For Data Protection Breaches In Adoption Proceedings

I have recently acted for a number of adoptive parents who, whilst in the process of adopting children, have had the safety of their family put at risk by data protection breaches by the local authority. In those cases, the birth family were given the adoptive parents' details (names and addresses) by the Local Authority.

These families were entitled to damages for the financial consequences of those breaches as well as for the distress that they have suffered.

I have successfully recovered significant damages for families affected by serious data breaches which have allowed families to relocate and ensure their new family is protected from being traced by the birth family now and in the future. It was vital that damages were made available as soon as possible and even before the adoption proceedings were finalised to ensure protection was in place and offer reassurance to the family and children that the adoption could safely go ahead.