Salway & Hackley and Anor 2013 FMCAfam 328

A child aged two years had lived with the paternal grandmother since the age of 2 months.  The mother had hoped to obtain a spousal residency visa but had not been successful and was to due to return to an overseas country.  The mother appealed against an order that the child live with the grandparent.

An assessor reported that the child was securely attached to the grandmother but became distressed when he was transferred from the grandmother to the mother.

The judge ordered that the child live with the grandparent.  The judge ordered that the mother be authorised to send a photograph of herself and that these be displayed in the child’s bedroom.