Toddler of abused South Yorkshire woman to be adopted

A South Yorkshire woman who was abused as a child is not capable of caring for her young daughter, a family court judge has ruled.

Judge Jessica Pemberton said the woman, now in her early 20s, had not been given the "foundation" to enable her to look after a child.

She decided the woman's daughter, who is approaching her second birthday, should be placed for adoption.

The written ruling was made following a private hearing in Sheffield.

More on this and other South Yorkshire stories

Judge Pemberton said the state had not intervened adequately to protect the woman from "serious harm and neglect" when she was a child and her upbringing had a "huge impact" on her capabilities as a parent.

Social workers had become involved with the woman's family when she was 12.

The woman had been abused by her mother and stepfather when young and appeared to have "endured" multiple moves between foster homes.

The judge said the woman, who cannot be named, "described drinking heavily" and taking drugs during her teenage years.

She developed "depression and eating disorders" and her medical note recorded a number of "self-inflicted injuries".

"She entered into an abusive relationship when she was 14 in which she described that she was the victim of rape," said Judge Pemberton.