Here at Higgins Miller, we specialise in matters of family law. This means helping clients to cope with stressful events such as a divorce or processing wills and probate. For most of our clients, the need to deal with highly stressful issues of this kind will mark the first time on which they’ve had to focus on legal matters such as consulting with lawyers or thinking about court appearances. We know how daunting all of this can be, and so we go out of our way to ensure that all of the advice we offer to clients is provided in clear and concise language which avoids the jargon and ‘legalese’ that people can find so off-putting. This is especially true in the case of our social services lawyers.
Our social services lawyers know how stressful most people can find dealing with social services, particularly when – as is usually the case – the social services department has got in touch with concerns about the safety or welfare of a child. First and foremost, the help provided by our social services lawyers will be underpinned by their expertise in this particular area of the law. Some of our social services lawyers have been accredited as experts in the field of child law by the Law Society, and sit as members of the Children Panel. Given this, clients can always be assured that our social services lawyers are offering advice that reflects an in-depth, expert, and up-to-the-minute understanding of the legalities of any given case. Over and above this expertise, however, what our social services lawyers are pleased to offer is emotional support and an understanding of the kind of toll that cases of this kind are likely to take. Combining support with expertise means that our social services lawyers are the perfect people to help any client deal with the problems which may arise when social services make contact.
The focus on child welfare is what makes contact with social services so stressful. When a social services department gets in touch with someone regarding issues of this kind it is generally in response to concerns expressed by either a professional who has come into contact with the child in question – such as a teacher or a doctor – or else by a family member or a concerned member of the public, such as a neighbour. One of the first things our social services lawyers will explain to a client contacted in this way is that the social services department in question has a legal duty to investigate and intervene in any cases in which the safety of a child might be in doubt. The fact that social services have made contact – generally in the form of a letter – is no indication of the approach that they are likely to take or the actual seriousness of the underlying situation. Our social services lawyers will work to calm down any client receiving such a letter, explaining that the first duty of the social services department is always toward the child in question and ensuring that they are definitely not in any danger.
The letter will set out any concerns that social services have regarding the child in question, and our social services lawyers will be able to explain exactly what is meant by the concerns being raised and how social services generally deal with such matters. The first instinct of many parents upon receiving communication of this kind is often to panic and fear the worst, but our social services lawyers will be able to allay such panic and set out exactly what the rights and responsibilities of all the parties involved actually are. The letter may include some words or phrases which are unfamiliar, and our social services lawyers will be able to explain the meaning of terms such as:
Child Protection Conference – this is a meeting at which the family concerned and professionals such as social workers can meet up to discuss concerns about a child and worries that they may be at risk of harm. From the clients’ point of view, this is an opportunity to ascertain exactly what concerns social services have, and to set out what they can do to allay those concerns.
PLO Meeting – PLO stands for Public Law Outline, and is a procedure with a local authority has to follow when dealing with the safety of a child. A PLO meeting is likely to take place if social services feel that the worries they have were not fully dealt with during an initial investigation or child protection conference. A PLO meeting is often seen as the last chance that parents/guardians have to demonstrate that they can care for a child properly before social services decide to take the case to court.
Core Group – this is a group which may be put together following a child protection conference. It will be comprised of professionals tasked with delivering the various aspects of any plan which was drawn up at the original conference.
If the client contacts our social services lawyers following an initial contact from social services, ti could be that the only thing they have to plan for initially is a meeting with social services professionals or indeed a home visit. Our social services lawyers will be able to offer advice on the kind of form such a meeting or visit will take and the kind of questions that the client can expect to be asked. In all cases, we’ll offer an honest evaluation of exactly how likely we feel it is that social services will act to remove a child from the home, and offer clear, actionable advice which always places the welfare of the child in question at the centre of all decision making.
If you want to find out more about working with our social services solicitors please call our Legal Aid Solicitors on 0161 429 7251 or email us at [email protected]. We’ve recently passed our Cyber Essential accreditation, something which demonstrates our forward-thinking attitude and determination to remain ahead of the competition. The first 20-minute appraisal is provided free of charge, and we’ll give you the first appointment for a fixed fee, so you don’t have to worry about how much our advice is going to cost. If you want to explore our wider charging system then please take a look here.
