Our Bristol-based solicitors represent parents, other involved adults and children who are the subject of Care Proceedings. We give objective and professional guidance at this distressing time.
Local authorities must tell parents and other people who have Parental Responsibility about their concerns for the child, as long as the child’s short-term safety allows them to do so. If you have received a letter about this you may be entitled to public funding (legal aid), so that you can have a legal representative with you to advise and assist you.
Courts can only make Interim Care Orders or Interim Supervision Orders if:
The local authority only has to establish “reasonable grounds” and “likelihood of harm” to obtain an interim care order, which is also referred to as a holding position pending the outcome of further investigation.
The court can also make other orders while the local authority carries out assessments, including:
A Care Order means that the local authority shares Parental Responsibility (PR) with someone else who has PR for the child. Care Orders do allow local authorities to remove children from their current carers. However, they do have a duty to consider other family members before they place a child with foster carers and to rehabilitate children back to their parents, wherever possible. While a child is the subject of a Care Order, the local authority must arrange contact with the child’s parents or carers and it has general discretion in relation to other family members.
A Supervision Order places a child under the supervision of a local authority and puts the appointed supervisor under a duty to:
If care proceedings are issued, we help parents access support services and agencies, so that they can get the best result for the child.
For more information, please get in touch.
Public funding (legal aid) is automatically available to parents and children involved in care proceedings. Public funding may be available to other family members subject to financial eligibility. We are able to advise on this over the telephone.
“I would like to say how very happy I have been with you and all the staff. I really don’t think there is anything you could have done more or better. ”
Iona Phillips
Partner/ Deputy Group Leader: Family Law
Email: [email protected]
Direct Dial: 0117 904 5878