Care Proceedings
We have a very experienced Care Department able to advise on matters where there has been an intervention by the Social Services Department in relation to your family. The areas in which we are able to assist are wide ranging including initial advice at case conferences, liasing with the Local Authority on your behalf and representing families at Court. Our Care Department will be concerned to protect your rights and interests throughout the whole process.
If the local authority feel that they need to legally intervene to take protective measures for any child they will often issue "care proceedings".
In these proceedings the Local Authority have to show the Court that the child or children concerned are at "risk of significant harm".
The Court can make a range of Orders including :-
- A Care Order is an Order that makes the Local Authority responsible for the child, or a
- A Supervision Order is an Order allowing the Local Authority to supervise, advise, assist and befriend the child.
- A Placement Order is an Order authorising a Local Authority to place a child for adoption with prospective adopters.
- A Special Guardianship Order is an Order appointing one or more individuals to be a child's special guardian which preserves the legal link between the child and their birth family.
- A Adoption Order is an Order to give parental responsibility for a child to be the adoptor and permanently severs ties between a child and the birth parent.
If the children are removed from their family contact issues will also be dealt with and negotiated on your behalf.
Christine O'Brien is a member of the Solicitor's Regulation Authority's Children Panel and specialises in care cases representing parents, children and any concerned family members who may wish to propose themselves as carers or support for the family concerned.
Legal Aid is automatically available for parents of a child or anyone with parental responsibility for a child. In other circumstances i.e. other family members may be entitled to Legal Aid if they are eligible financially.
The majority of these cases require urgent advice. We can assist you at short notice. If you need advice or representation therefore, please contact a member of our specialist team or email us. Enquiry Form
