A Guide to Local Authority Processes for Child Care Lawyers - Live at Your Desk

Introduction

More and more lawyers are finding local authority processes daunting and confusing. This live session broadcast will cover some essentials when working in this environment.

It will address issues which are vital for advising and assisting at each stage of the process, when you are acting for the local authority, parents, extended family members or the children.

What You Will Learn

This live and interactive broadcast will cover the following:

• Duties in relation to contact. Is it to provide/ promote, or both?
• What are the fundamentals of the Public Law Working Party Report 2021? Are you complying with it?
• How do I prepare a case for the Agency Decision Maker?
• The matter is contested - what do I do, so as to prepare?
• What reviews are held?
• What are the various panels, whether it is fostering or adoption? What does it all mean?
• When are panels held and why?
• What should I do if acting for the child and parents when it comes to plans for adoption?
• Use of s.38(6) CA 1989
• What are regulation 24 and 26 placements? How do they work in practice?
• Is it the CPR or the Annex B that is required? What is the difference?
• What if mother does not tell the social worker who the father is? What do I do?
• Do we have to assess everyone? What does when ‘nothing else will do’ mean in practice?
• What is the difference between revocation and leave to oppose when it comes to adoption?

Please note: You are reminded that the contents of this live session will involve discussions relating to sensitive issues about safeguarding. Also, given that many people are working from home, we ask you to ensure that you are in a private space where you and the speaker(s) is/are not overheard.

Recording of live sessions: Soon after the Learn Live session has taken place you will be able to go back and access the recording - should you wish to revisit the material discussed.