Care Proceedings Solicitor | Children's Law | Howells LLP
Make a payment

Care Proceedings Solicitor

If social services have contacted you because they have concerns about your child, it’s understandable that you might feel upset and want to know what your rights are. Our specialist team are here to help and will guide you through the next steps of the process.

 

If you need advice about social services’ involvement with your children, call our specialist care team on our dedicated number – 0114 249 6693.

 

A Care Proceedings Solicitor You Can Trust

Our Children Law specialists are experts in dealing with complex and sensitive childcare proceedings. We represent thousands of people each year across the UK.

At a distressing and difficult time, we are here to give advice and support without judgement. We can provide assistance and advice to parents, family members, children, and guardians across all aspects of childcare proceedings.

The welfare of children is always paramount, and responsibility lies first and foremost with the parents. The Local Authority’s social services departments are under a legal obligation to intervene if they believe children may be at risk and are concerned about a child and their welfare.

The intervention and investigations can be hugely traumatic for everyone, and given their complexity and consequences, it’s essential that you seek expert help from a care proceedings solicitor at the earliest opportunity.

How We Can Help

Our Children Law specialists can support you and your family with any matter relating to children’s law, such as:

  • Where children may have suffered sexual abuse, physical or emotional harm
  • When Social Services raise concerns about a child’s safety
  • When a child is at risk of being taken into care
  • Where family members wish to care for a child who is at risk of being taken or has been taken into care
  • When a Local Authority seeks an Emergency Protection Order
  • Cases surrounding non-accidental injuries 
  • With other aspects of social care involvement with children, including;
    – pre-proceedings (PLO) meetings
    – case conferences
    – child assessment orders
    – child protection reviews
  • When parents wish to make contact with children in care
  • Where parents seek the return of a child in care and the discharging of care orders
  • Where parenting is compromised through addiction, mental health issues or learning disabilities
  • Where children have special needs

Our children’s law specialists are supportive, patient and non-judgemental advisors. They will carefully explain all the procedures involved in child care cases to help remove any fear, worry or uncertainty about the legal process.

As highly experienced specialists, they will use their skills and knowledge to support you and ensure the best possible outcome for the child. They will examine all funding options such as Legal Aid to make quality advice as accessible and affordable as possible.

They are also here to offer appropriate help and support in the aftermath of an investigation.

Care Proceedings FAQs

How Long Do Care Proceedings Take?

It can take up to 26 weeks (6 months)  for a court to decide what will happen to your child, however, if the case is more complex, it may take longer.

What happens at court?

At the start of the court proceedings, Social Services will ask the family court to make a temporary court order if they are worried about your children. If the court agrees, then Social Services can take your child into temporary foster care or place with someone in your family.

What Happens After the First Court Hearing?

Over the following months after the first hearing, social workers and other professionals will assess you and your children. They will then make recommendations to the court about what they think is the best outcome for your child in the long term.

What Do I Do if Social Services are Involved With My Family?

 It is always best to ask a solicitor for advice about social services’ concerns and discuss the options with us.

Social Services are Involved With My Family, Will I Get Legal Aid?

Yes. Legal aid is available, before and during court proceedings.

Join Our Mailing List

Join our newsletter and receive news, legal help and exclusive offers from our team. Sign up here

How can we help? Contact us today

Contact us on 0114 2496666 and one of our advisors will be in touch to discuss your situation. We will take some initial information and if we can help, we will book you in for a consultation with a legal professional.

Call our Care Proceedings Team

Free Consultation

Our Family Law team offer a free 30 minute consultation for new clients and we offer flexible appointments that can be arranged around your work schedule. Contact us on 0114 2496666 to make a booking.

Book Now

Request a Call back

The Howells Solicitors law team are compassionate, down-to-earth and professional, offering you the best expert advice. Get in touch with solicitors in Sheffield, Rotherham, and Barnsley to see how we can help. Fill in the form or give us a call at:

The Care Proceedings team

The Howells Children Law team is one of the best in the country. It has been consistently highly ranked for family work in the north, and is overseen by the hugely respected and much admired Alyson Siddall. Alyson has developed a group of many talents but with shared values. Tough and resolute in their legal representation, sensitive and compassionate in their client relationships, the team understand that they’re not dealing with ‘cases’ but with people, not bound up in legal process but in real lives.

The Care Proceedings team are part of the Family Law department at Howells.

Legal 500

The Legal 500 2022 edition ranks Family as a top tier firm in Yorkshire and Humber, saying “Family head Alyson Siddall, matrimonial specialist Sharon Lockwood and children team head Sarah Walker are the key names at Howells Solicitors. Based in Sheffield, Rotherham and Barnsley respectively, they oversea a team that is particularly well  known for high net worth cases with assets ranging from three to six million pounds.

Aamnah Saleem

0114 249 6716
Charlotte Curbishley

01709 364 000
Christopher Patrick

01709 364 000
Deborah Thompson

01226 805 190
Emily Shaw

01226 805 190
Katie Wiggett

0114 249 6717
Natalie Tijanic

0114 249 6613
Ryan Marsh

01709 364000
Sarah Peart

0114 249 6755