ON 18 October 2017, the UK Supreme Court decided  Armes v Nottinghamshire County Council  [2017] UKSC 60. The Court ruled that a local authority could be vicariously liable for intentional torts committed by foster parents against a child whom the authority had placed in their care. The outcome was not entirely unexpected. Less than two decades ago it would have been inconceivable. After all, isn't it the case that the common law does not recognise a general principle of liability in tort for the acts of third parties? And that in so far as it does, it holds an  employer  vicariously liable for a tort committed by an  employee  in the  course of their employment?  This is a very long way from the facts of  Armes .