If social services are concerned enough about the welfare of your child to be thinking of going to court then unless it's a really urgent situation you should be invited to what is called a "pre-proceedings" meeting.

Before the meeting you should receive a letter from the social work team spelling out exactly what they are concerned about, what they say they have done to help you and what they want you to do in the future.

The meeting will usually take place at your local social services office. A lawyer from social services will be there and you are entitled to have a lawyer with you, free of charge.

If things have reached this point it's really imortant to get legal advice as soon as possible. Failing to act can result in court proceedings being started with the risk of your child being removed from your care.

All of our team attend these sorts of meetings regularly and can give you expert advice on the best approach to take. If you have received a pre-proceedings letter please contact us immediately for advice.

If the case is thought to be really urgent social services may go straight to court without holding a meeting. If you have received court papers please let us know immediately and we will arrange for one of our specialist lawyers to represent you in court. In most cases you will be entitled to receive free legal advice.

“If I was unsure about anything all I needed to do was pick up the telephone. I felt that both your solicitor and her secretary helped me through a very difficult time and gave me a lot of support when I had to go to court.” Mrs JC

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Paul Foster partner Profile
pfoster@fostersbristol.co.uk

Greg Moss partner Profile
gmoss@fostersbristol.co.uk

Fiona Sansom Solicitor Profile

fsansom@fostersbristol.co.uk

Jenna Eldrett Solicitor Profile

jeldrett@fostersbristol.co.uk

	Social services court proceedings
	Care orders
	Supervision orders
	Secure accommodation orders
	Social services case conferences