Hannah Summers

Andrew McFarlane: family court shouldn’t use unregulated psychologists President of family division supports new way to challenge rulings for families split by flawed evidence

The Guardian piece I wrote that is quoted in your round-up was published prior to the judgment being handed down. My reporting on the Re Y decision for @tbij.bsky.social can be found here: www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2026...

Have we seen the last of unregulated psychologists in the family courts? My report on McFarlane's landmark judgment, Re Y. He says his ruling is not just about one person (Melanie Gill) but a whole system that failed to protect the children in this case. tinyurl.com/mvpbjjfs

Reform’s local councils are bringing climate denial into the… Top polling party’s moves to ‘undeclare’ the climate emergency and scrap net zero targets could be a sign of things to come

I keep hearing that the rise of the populist right is one of the biggest threats to the climate. Watching Trump’s second term it’s hard to disagree

So @tbij.bsky.social looked at what councils controlled by Reform UK are doing on climate

What we found was pretty shocking

UK mother separated from children for years has ‘draconian’ order overturned Flawed evidence by psychologist Melanie Gill was used to remove children from woman in 2019

www.theguardian.com/law/2026/feb... by @hansummers.bsky.social also now reported in @theguardian.com Will other cases be reviewed?

A mother whose children were taken by the family court has been vindicated after a 6 yr struggle to have evidence from an unregulated psychologist overturned. The advice of Melanie Gill led to "draconian" orders terminating her relationship with her kids. My report here 👉 tinyurl.com/ypp99rka

Thurrock chasing Liam Kavanagh over £200m solar scandal Council is actively pursuing businessman who pocketed millions after failed investments

Thurrock warns Liam Kavanagh is not ‘off the hook’, as council report points to £200m investment loss

New by me for @tbij.bsky.social

The family court will not carry out a wholesale review of cases involving the unregulated psychologist, Melanie Gill, @tbij.bsky.social can reveal. Meanwhile mothers who had their children taken away after Gill gave evidence in their cases demand a public apology. tinyurl.com/595ah2e5

Illegal children’s homes: company that let child sleep on floor… Ofsted suspended GMT after visiting a dilapidated and unsafe home. Yet its operators are still providing care for vulnerable children

Excellent reporting from my colleagues @garethtbij.bsky.social and @tomwall.bsky.social on illegal children's homes which are being paid millions in public money to accommodate vulnerable kids despite lack of proper safeguards and checks. tinyurl.com/yvxj28ru

The former chair of the Criminal Bar Association, Jo Sidhu KC, has failed in his appeal against being disbarred after three charges of professional misconduct relating to inappropriate sexual behaviour were found against him. tinyurl.com/3sazzzpe

As parents, we're supposed to remember the first time we did stuff with our kids, but the last time is equally as significant, if not more.

This poem is from Whatever You Do, Just Don't (HappenStance Press, 2023), my second full collection...

Minister to give update on X amid deepfake row Minister to give update on X amid deepfake row

Minister to give update on X amid deepfake row

@tbij.bsky.social doing the right thing. We are no longer posting on X

NEW: Six years ago today a boy was removed from his mother's care by the family court and banned from seeing her following the evidence of an unregulated psychologist. Now they will spend Christmas together after his successful legal bid to the high court. tinyurl.com/4suja87n

Mother and son reunited for Christmas six years after ‘draconian’… Boy was taken from his mother’s care as nine-year-old on advice of unregulated expert Melanie Gill

A boy taken away from his mother on the advice of unregulated psychologist Melanie Gill has won the right to spend Christmas with her for the first time in six years

More incredible impact from @tbij.bsky.social's @hansummers.bsky.social

www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...

But we want to empower more journalists to do this kind of reporting

That’s why we launched a mentoring programme this year

This is just one of the projects you could support us in funding 👉 bit.ly/TBIJ-big-give

Family court cases have the potential to change lives – and yet investment in court reporting has significantly dropped

We’re filling the gaps left behind by other newsrooms

These are just a few examples of the reporting we’ve done recently, thanks to your support

We’ve now launched another crowdfunder – and for this week only all donations we receive via the Big Give platform will be doubled at no extra cost to you 👉https://bit.ly/TBIJ-big-give

We believe good journalism should be accessible to everyone – so we don’t put our investigations behind paywalls or fill our website with ads

But our resources are limited and we need your support

That's why today we’re launching our Big Give Christmas crowdfunder

Thanks Sian and well done again on your investigation.

Huge congrats to the inimitable @hansummers.bsky.social and @louisetickle.bsky.social for winning - and I was stoked to get a special mention for my “totally gripping” investigation into Enough - the tech start up targeting rape victims at university

Looking forward to this!

Tomorrow evening @lawforchange.uk has a reception in Parliament hosted by Andy Slaughter MP, joined by AG Richard Hermer and Minister Sarah Sackman. We are almost at our 200 capacity but if any friends on here want to join us, let me know today (preferably by email).

Thanks Lucy!

A very hard earned award. Well done @hansummers.bsky.social and @louisetickle.bsky.social

huge congratulations @louisetickle.bsky.social and @hansummers.bsky.social winners of Society of Editors awards - National Campaign of the Year for their work on transparency in family courts

Thank you, Alice!

many thanks to Chris Barnes for his speedy work on grappling with what can be learnt from this Review into the systemic problems - how was Sara Sharif's safety overlooked?

We’re thrilled to see @hansummers.bsky.social and @louisetickle.bsky.social recognised with Campaign of the Year! 👏

Their work to ensure greater transparency in the family courts is a vital step towards accountability and justice for victim-survivors.

#MFA2025

Massive congratulations to @tbij.bsky.social's family court reporter @hansummers.bsky.social who, alongside @louisetickle.bsky.social, won Campaign of the Year at last night's Society of Editors Media Freedom Awards. Hugely well-deserved

Sian Norris, The Silicon Valley-style start-up targeting rape survivors at UK universities Hannah Summers and Louise Tickle, Psychologist’s ‘alarming’ views on domestic abuse throw spotlight on family court experts Lydia Morrish, Why are ‘deepfake porn’ tutorials still showing up in search engines? Cahal Milmo and Mark Wilding, Rape victims could have health data and sexual history trawled by police AI tool

✏️ BEST INVESTIGATION

Congratulations to the writers of our shortlisted pieces:
@sianushka.bsky.social @hansummers.bsky.social @louisetickle.bsky.social @lydmorrish.bsky.social
@cahalmilmo.bsky.social and Mark Wilding