A young mother has lost her bid to relocate to the USA with her 10-year old daughter after the Family Court ruled that the move was not in the child's best interests.

The mother (whose name cannot be published by court order) told the court that she got pregnant at the age of 16 from a relationship with an older man. The man was now married to a third party and had another child.

The mother claimed that she wished to further her studies in graphic design in the USA but that the father was objecting to the move.

Mr Justice Robert G Mangion heard submissions by the father who claimed that the proposed move was not in the daughter's best interests and that as the mother had relatives in the USA there was a risk that she would not return to Malta.

The court appointed psychological experts concluded that it did not seem to be in the best interest of the child to move to the USA.

The experts added that the child's move could be detrimental to her relationship with her father.

After examining all the facts of the case including the fact that the child would miss the very good relationship she enjoyed with her maternal grandfather in Malta the court dismissed the mother's request to relocate to the USA.