I received a Letter before Proceedings from Children’s Services – what should I do?

When you receive a Letter before Proceedings from Children’s Services it can be quite upsetting.

The first thing you should do is to take the letter to a Solicitor who provides advice on Family and Children law.

Don’t worry about fees or the cost as the letter itself entitles you to free legal advice.

Children’s Services issue a Letter before Proceedings (also known as a Public Law Outline letter) when their concerns are so great that they are considering issuing Care Proceedings. If the proceedings go ahead, they will be heard in the Family Court, where one of the options can be for the Local Authority to apply for an Order to remove a child from the family unit and into foster care.

The purpose of the Letter before Proceedings process is to avoid Care Proceedings being issued or to narrow the issues if proceedings are to be brought before the Court.

The letter puts you on warning that you are being given a last chance to show Children’s Services that their concerns about the welfare of your children is being taken seriously and can be addressed.

It is very important to contact your Solicitor when you receive the letter, as it followed shortly by notification of a very important meeting for you and your family. The meeting, known as a PLO Meeting takes place, usually with a Solicitor for Children’s Services present, along with the Social Worker, the parents of the child or children and the Solicitor representing the parents of the child or children. It can be daunting to attend the meeting without any representation.

These meetings may become a regular event, being held approximately every 8-12 weeks if the case is being kept under review.

The meetings allows Children’s Services  to present their concerns and allow the parents to have their say.

Usually by the end of the 12 weeks, Children’s Services should be able decide an outcome and to set out their long-term plans to the parents of the child.

At Hannays Solicitors and Advocates, we understand how stressful and difficult it can be when Children’s Services are involved with your family, and we are here to support you through the process. Everyone in this process should be working for the well-being and benefit of the child or children involved.

We have two specialist solicitors Gill Wright and Leeanne Pearce who will advise and support you.

Please contact us on 0191 455 5361 to make an appointment or email us at info@hannayslaw.co.uk