Care Proceedings

We understand that when social services are involved with your family it can be a very worrying and upsetting time. Our Family Department includes members of the Law Society Children Panel, Law Society Family Panel and Resolution. Our solicitors have experience of acting on behalf of children, parents, grandparents and other family members in cases where the local authority are concerned about a child’s welfare. Our expertise covers a wide range of cases, we have acted in cases involving non-accidental injury to a child, sexual abuse, neglect, cases involving parental drug or alcohol misuse, domestic abuse, neglect and parental mental health problems.

Local Authority Involvement

If the Local Authority has told you that they have concerns about your child and have said that they are going to issue court proceedings or they are thinking of doing so then you should seek legal advice immediately. Court proceedings such as these potentially have serious consequences for you and your children. In some cases this may mean that children are permanently removed from their parents’ care and placed with family members or outside of the family in long term foster care or adopted.

We can offer advice on:

• Care Orders (and Interim Care Orders)
• Supervision Orders (and Interim Supervision Orders)
• Emergency Protection Orders
• Police Protection Orders
• Special Guardianship Orders
• Placement Orders
• Adoption Orders
• Defending allegations of injury, abuse or neglect
• Pre-proceedings meetings
• Child Protection Conferences

What are our fees?

Parents of children in cases where the local authority has said it is going to hold a pre-proceedings meeting (PLO meeting) or where the local authority has already issued proceedings at court will automatically qualify for legal aid.  Legal aid is also available in other circumstances, please contact us for an individual assessment.