Our Child Care department are a dedicated and specialised team committed to providing a great quality service with specialist knowledge to help families through the very difficult time when Social Services have become involved.
We represent parents and extended family members in a range of proceedings. Public Funding is often available.
If you would like to discuss a potential matter or would like any further information then please contact one of our team using the details shown on this page.
Care & Supervision Proceedings
In the most serious cases, the Local Authority will issue Care Proceedings in relation to a child. The Local Authority can seek either a Care Order or a Supervision Order and the application will be dealt with the Court.
In the event that a Care Order is sought, the Local Authority may also seek to place the child in Local Authority foster care. The Local Authority will then have to undertake assessments to establish whether or not the child can return to its parents or another family member.
We represent all members of families ie parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, cousins, including non biologically related family members.
In the event that a Supervision Order is sought, the child will remain at home but the family will be expected to cooperate and work with the Local Authority and any other professionals deemed appropriate.
If you are a parent in these types of proceedings, then you will be entitled to non means and non merits testing public funding meaning that you will be automatically entitled to Public Funding no matter what your circumstances are.
If you would like to discuss a potential matter or would like any further information then please contact one of our team using the details shown on this page.
Case Conference & Negotiating with the Local Authority
When the Local Authority (also known as Social Services) are first made aware of concerns about a family, they will seek to work with the family and offer support and assistance. In the event that the concerns continue, the Local Authority may seek to hold a Child Protection Conference. This is to consider whether the child/children should be subject to a Child Protection Plan. This could be under one or more categories i.e. emotional harm, physical harm or neglect.
At the conference a number of professionals will be present and they will report to the Chair of the conference details about the concerns held, professional services that are being offered and any improvements that have been identified. A decision will then be made as to whether or not the child/children should be made subject to a Child Protection Plan.
Once a decision has been made that a Child Protection Plan is needed, recommendations will be made as to further work and a review Case Conference date set. In the event that improvements are made, the Conference would look to de-register the children. In the event that there were no improvements or the situation became worse, the Local Authority would consider whether Public Law Outline should be considered or whether there were grounds to issue Care or Supervision Proceedings.
If you would like to discuss a potential matter or would like any further information then please contact one of our team using the details shown on this page.
Special Guardianship & Residence Orders
When children are removed from their parents by the Local Authority, consideration always has to be given to extended family members and whether they are able to care for the children enabling them to remain within the family. If this is the case, the Local Authority might advise the family members to seek a Special Guardianship Order or a Residence Order. Both Orders grant Parental Responsibility for the child to those family members as well as other legal rights. There can also be provision for financial payments to be made by the Local Authority as well as the provision of support services.
In the event that you are granted a Residence Order within Care or Supervision Proceedings, you will become entitled to non means and non merits testing public funding meaning that you will be automatically entitled to Public Funding no matter what your circumstances are.
In addition to the above, we are also able to advice and act in the following types of cases:
- Education Supervision Order;
- Application for contact with a child in care;
- Discharge of a Care Order;
- Discharge of a Placement Order;
- Child Assessment Order;
- Secure Accommodation Order.
If you would like to discuss a potential matter or would like any further information then please contact one of our team using the details shown on this page.
Adoption Proceedings
In the event that Care proceedings have been issued by the Local Authority, and it is not possible for the child to remain within the family, then the Local Authority will consider whether Adoption is the most appropriate option. In the event that Adoption is considered appropriate, the Local Authority will issue an application for a Placement Order seeking the Court’s permission to place the child with an adoptive family. In these circumstances, it is very rare for there to be on going face to face contact between the child and the birth family.
If you would like to discuss a potential matter or would like any further information then please contact one of our team using the details shown on this page.
Public Law Outline
Public Law Outline is a process entered into by the Local Authority with parents to try and avoid the need for Court proceedings and the removal of children. The Local Authority will already have been working with the family for sometime and see the Public Law Outline as a ‘last chance’ to deal with the problems before formal Court proceedings are started.
Parents will be invited to a meeting in order to discuss what changes need to be made and they are also entitled to have a legal representative present to represent their interests and ensure that the correct professional input is being offered.
In the event changes are made, the process would be brought to an end and the Local Authority would continue to work with the family on a “Child In Need” basis. In the event that changes are not made, the Local Authority would hold a Legal Planning meeting to consider whether Care proceedings are necessary.
If you would like to discuss a potential matter or would like any further information then please contact one of our team using the details shown on this page.