I received a Letter of Intent to Issue Care Proceedings - What Does This Mean?

The Local Authority will send you a Letter of Intent to Issue Care Proceedings once they have decided that there are significant concerns regarding the safety of your child/children, and the only way to keep them safe is to seek intervention from the Court. This letter is their formal method of informing you that they will be issuing care proceedings.

What is a Letter of Intent to Issue Care Proceedings?

This is a letter sent by the Local Authority formally stating that they will making an application to the Court to Issue Care Proceedings regarding your child/children. This letter will set out their reasons and concerns which has led them to make this decision, which can include sexual abuse, domestic abuse, alcohol and drug misuse, and outline specific incidents relating to these concerns. Such a letter will also state what the Local Authority would like you to do to mitigate their concerns, such as engaging in drug and alcohol testing or engaging with a Parenting Assessment. A letter of intent to issue will also invite you and your legal representative to an ‘Intent to Issue Care Proceedings Meeting’.

What happens in an Intent to Issue Care Proceedings Meeting?

An Intent to Issue Care Proceedings Meeting is a meeting with the Local Authority where they verbally inform you that they will be issuing care proceedings regarding your child/children. Your child/children’s Social Worker and a solicitor attends this meeting on behalf of the Local Authority. During this meeting, the Local Authority will discuss their concerns which are outlined in the letter, and you will be able to share your views on those concerns. You will also be asked if you would be willing to engage in some of the action points outlined by the Local Authority and you will be given the chance to say what you wish to regarding the situation. Finally, the Local Authority should inform us of what Court Orders they are seeking and what their Care Plan is for the child/children. The Court Orders can range from an Interim Supervision Order to an Interim Care Order. The Local Authority Care Plan will state where they are asking the Court to place your child/children. This could be in Local Authority Foster Care, with a family member, with their other parent, or with yourself but under a Court Order. All of this would depend on the concerns and the individual circumstances to your matter.

How can Johnson Astills Help?

If you the Local Authority have sent you a Letter of Intent to Issue Care Proceedings in relation to your children, then we may be able to help. Please contact  Johnson Astills at either our Leicester Office on 0116 255 4855 or our Loughborough Office on 01509 610 312 and ask for a member of the Care Team so that we can advise you accordingly. Alternatively, please email us on careteam@johnsonastills.com and a member of our team will be happy to assist you.