Chelsea Harris

Your baby being placed for adoption against your will is referred to as a non-consensual adoption or contested adoption. The term ‘forced adoption’ is not a term that is used within the Family Court but is used widely in the media. Before an...

The recent decision in the Court of Appeal in the case of JW (Child at home under Care Order) [2023] EWCA CIV 944 is a reminder of the approach that should be taken when considering making final Supervision and Care Orders. The judgement provides a summary...

The Local Authority will arrange a child protection conference for a child if there are concerns regarding the child being abused or it is believed that the child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. A child protection conference can also be...

‘A Team of Fabulous Women!’ and ‘Leicester Legal Aid Legends’ : Johnson Astills declared the Regional Legal Aid Firm of 2022 at the LALYs! What are the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards (LALYS)? On Tuesday 12 July 2022, the...

DoL stands for ‘Deprivation of Liberty’ and means that a person’s freedom is taken away from them. Being deprived of liberty will mean that a person is under continuous supervision and control and is not permitted to leave a certain place....

You may be asked to engage in blood alcohol testing. This has now become an essential part in providing an insight into an individual’s alcohol consumption and providing an evidential picture within proceedings before the Family Court. In Family cases...

Once a Care Order is made at Court, this Order remains in place until a child reaches 18 years old. Once a child reaches adulthood, the Care Order will cease to have effect. The Local Authority have a duty to support young people who have been subject to a...

The report completed by Dame Rachel De Souza is dedicated to the children in care, who have voiced their experiences. These children have shared their thoughts and personal experiences in the hope that change can be brought for the children who follow in...

We previously wrote about the first Social Care Annual Report that was released from Ofsted in 2013. This report identified that a vast majority of Local Authorities were inadequate, and some child safeguarding services were struggling to meet basic...

Written agreements and safety plans are intended to provide clarity about the way that the Local Authority and your family will work together to ensure that your children remain safe whilst in your care. A safety plan is usually a personalised document...

There are 4 main types of Harm that the Social Services may think your child is at risk of suffering or is already suffering. These 4 types are: Emotional harm, Physical harm, Sexual harm and Neglect. Your child can be referred to Social Services through a...

The protection of your Human Rights is vital in all aspects of the Law. Article 8 of the Human Rights Act provides that everyone has the right to respect for private and family life. How is this right maintained in Care Proceedings for parents where the...

The duration of Care Proceedings in Court has increased since the beginning of the lockdown and has reached the longest length since the 26-week target rule was introduced in 2014, despite the number of cases being issued falling in 2019. Care Proceedings...

The Local Authority are likely to want to complete a risk assessment where they consider there to be a likelihood of a significant risk of harm to a child. Where there are concerns around domestic violence in a relationship, allegations of sexual or physical...

Depending upon the extent of the involvement by the Local Authority, you may be eligible for free legal help under three levels of public funding Legal Help Level 1, Legal Help Level 2 or Full Representation. The lowest level of Local Authority involvement...

The simple answer is yes. Your information can be disclosed and shared between proceedings governed by the 2013 protocol and good practice model . In Care Proceedings, there is a form Annex D that the Local Authority will complete and send to the police to...