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This is a highly specialised area of law where advice from a member of the
Law Society's Children Panel is essential.
What follows is just a very brief guide to some of the orders that can be
made by Courts where Social Services think a child is at risk:
- Emergency Protection order
- Care order
- Supervision order.
Emergency Protection Order
Where Social Services think a child is 'likely to suffer significant harm'
or where they are being prevented from checking on a child they can ask
a Court to make an 'EPO'. The parent won't usually be informed until an
order has been made. The order can last for upto 8 days to start with.
It gives a Social Worker the power to remove a child from home and place
the child with foster carers or in a children's home until the order expires.
If it is felt the child should not return home there will be a hearing
where the parents can put their side of the story.
Care Order/ Supervision Order
Social Services can ask for a care or supervision order where a child
is suffering 'significant harm' because the parents are not caring for
the child properly or because the child is beyond their control.
A care order will usually mean a child is taken to live with foster carers
and can lead (particularly with very young children) to the child being
adopted.
Where there is a supervision order the child will stay at home but a Social
Worker will meet with the child and parents from time to tome to make
sure there are no problems.
Often before there are any Court proceedings the local authority will
organise a 'Child Protection Care Conference'. If you have been told there
will be one about your child we can go with you (it is illegal for the
local authority to prevent us).
Our Partner Maurice Guyer is a member of the Law Society's Children Panel
and will be happy to help you, by telephone on 020 8579 2559 or
via e-mail at mguyer@vickerssolicitors.co.uk.
Legal Aid is available for care proceedings free of charge whatever your
means if you are a birth parent.
For more information try Carelaw's web site at:
www.carelaw.org.uk
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