Children Law Solicitors

Are You Eligible for Legal Aid?

Civil legal aid is available in many situations for family members when social services are involved with children.

On your initial contact, our children law solicitors can:

• Assess your circumstances and advise you as to your eligibility for legal aid.
• Support and advise you if you receive a letter before proceedings.
• Represent you in meetings, hearings and in court proceedings.
• Give advice and support with domestic violence and domestic abuse matters.

Our family law solicitors can help with private child custody arrangements. We can also assist in reaching agreements on child maintenance. We offer free consultations and fixed fee packages. Our legal costs are clear and transparent.

Contact us or call 0114 2496693 to book your appointment today. We will be happy to assess you and advise you on your eligibility for legal aid.

Social Services Involvement

We can help you when social services first contacts you. Whenever possible, we will join you in meetings and represent you in court. We will also help you apply for legal aid if you are eligible.

We have experience representing parents and other family members in all sorts of situations which lead to care proceedings. These include cases where the local authority worries that children are being neglected. They also include cases where family members are accused of hurting or abusing children.

Fine out more on how we can help with social service involvement.

How Our Children Law Solicitors Can Help

Our child law solicitors can help you and your family with any issues related to social services, such as:

• Offering advice at the first instance social services contact you.
• Represent parents at care proceedings.
• Deal with child arrangement orders.
• Explaining your rights where children may have suffered sexual abuse, physical or emotional harm.
• Advising on parental rights.
• Offer advice and speak to social services on your behalf when they raise concerns about a child’s safety.
• Explain your rights and provide advice when someone risks taking a child into care.
• Give advice and support where family members wish to care for a child who is at risk of being taken or has been taken into care.
• Help applying for special guardianship orders.
• Advising on grandparent rights.
• Give advice when a Local Authority seeks an Emergency Protection Order.
• Give advice with cases surrounding non-accidental injuries.
• Give advice and represent you with other aspects of social care involvement with children, including pre-proceedings (PLO) meetings, case conferences and child assessment orders.
• Give advice when parents or guardians wish to make contact with children in care.
• Support parents who seek the return of a child in care and the discharging of care orders.
• Support where children have special needs.
• Advising parents in cases where the court is being asked to make a Special Guardianship order for their child.
• Advising parents where they seek the court’s permission to oppose the making of an adoption order.
• Help applying for a Prohibited Steps Order.
• Our children law solicitors are supportive, patient and non-judgemental advisors. They will explain all the steps in childcare cases. This will help reduce any fear, worry, or uncertainty about the legal process.
• As skilled experts, they will use their knowledge to help you. They aim to achieve the best outcome for the child. They will look at all funding options, like Legal Aid, to make good advice easy to access and affordable.

They are also here to offer appropriate help and support in the aftermath of an investigation.

Contact us or call us on 0114 2496693 to book your appointment today.

Who Can Howells Represent?

Parents and carers:

If you have parental responsibility for a child, then it is necessary to obtain professional legal advice the instant social services are in contact with you. Our Children Law solicitors have years of experience representing parents and family members in  complex cases where social services are involved, and we have a wide and thorough knowledge of Children Law.

Grandparents and other family members: 

If you are concerned about how your grandchild or a child related to you will be cared for and looked after, our Children Law team can help you. We can help if:

• You wish to be assessed to care for that child.
• You are caring for a child and are not the biological parent.
• You have previously cared for that child.
• The local authority has completed a viability assessment of you/your family.
• You wish to have contact with the child.

See more on our grandparents rights page.

Although a non-parent is not automatically entitled to Legal Aid, you may still be eligible.

Children:

We can provide specialist representation of children of all ages in cases of this nature and are often instructed by Children’s Guardians to represent the interests of children involved in care proceedings. Our Children Law specialists are skilled in communicating effectively with children and work closely with Children’s Guardians to ensure that proceedings are explained in an age-appropriate way to young clients.

Contact us or call us on 0114 2496693 to book your appointment today or to discuss if legal aid is an option for you.

Children and Social Services

Social services can become involved with a family for many reasons, including:

• Concerns regarding drug or alcohol issues.
• Concerns regarding learning difficulties or mental health problems.
• Concerns relating to injuries.
• Concerns regarding sexual abuse.

We will always listen to what our clients say and give advice about how they can provide the best possible evidence to the court.

When social services become involved with your family it can be a very traumatic and confusing time. If you have been contacted by social services,have been invited to attend a meeting with social services or notified that you must attend court, it is vital that you contact us immediately to obtain legal advice and arrange representation.

Our experienced team will be able to talk you through the process, advise you of your rights, and arrange for one of our team to attend any meetings and represent you at court.

Contact us or call us on 0114 2496693 to book your appointment today or to discuss your case and to book a meeting.

Care Proceedings

If the local authority have made an application to take action to protect a child from harm,  this is known as care proceedings.  You should seek representation from a care proceedings solicitor who can review your case and offer advice. A solicitor can also attend a pre proceedings meeting and represent you in court. You may be eligible for legal aid.

Contact us or call us on 0114 2496693 to book your appointment today to discuss your situation.

Read our comprehensive guide on care proceedings.

Special Guardianship Order

Special guardianship orders provide stability for a child or young person who cannot be cared for by their parents. Only certain people can apply for a special guardianship order.

See more on our special guardianship page.

Children Law Solicitors Frequently Asked Questions

Why are the Local Authority Involved with my Children?

The local authority is likely to become involved with matters concerning children if they are concerned for a child’s welfare. This can be that the child is regularly missing school, is at risk of violence or the local authority have concerns in respect of your parenting, behaviour or even people you associate with if they pose a risk to the child.

Is Public Funding (Legal Aid) available for me?

Legal aid is the use of public funds to help to pay for legal advice. If you are a parent and your child is subject to care proceedings or a PLO meeting you will be eligible for free legal aid.

For other types of children proceedings, there may be  considerations for legal aid entitlement, such as:

Scope – the type of case you are involved with must be on the list of cases that the government says may be funded by legal aid.

Means – An assessment of your financial circumstances may be required to check that you are eligible for legal aid.

Merits – the legal aid agency check that you have a case to argue, that you have a reasonable likelihood of success, and a reasonable person would use their own funds to pay for the case.

Whether your children case is eligible for legal aid depends on the type of case. This can include:

• Care proceedings representation
• Contact with a child in care
• Discharge/variation of a care/supervision order

Our Children Law Solicitors can help with talking to social services, attending planning meetings, and representing you at Court. Speak to one of our Children Law specialists for today.

What is the Children Act 1989 in the UK?

The Children Act 1989 provides the framework for child protection in England. The key principles include the paramount nature of the child’s welfare and the expectations and requirements around duties of care to children.

What are the Basic Rights of a Child in the UK?

The basic rights of a child in the UK include but are not limited to:

• The right to life, survival, and development
• The right to a name and nationality
• The right to have their best interests considered and their views respected
• The right to live in a family environment
• The right to education, leisure, culture, and the arts
• The right to health and healthcare

At What Age Can a Child Refuse to See a Parent in the UK?

There is no definitive answer as to the age children are able to refuse contact with a parent. Under the Children Act, the wishes and feelings of the child need to be considered in child arrangements disputes, while also considering the child’s age and best interests.

Contact us or call us on 0114 2496693 to book your appointment today.

What is the Children Act 1989 in the UK?

The Children Act 1989 provides the framework for child protection in England. The main ideas focus on the child’s welfare. They also cover the duties of care that adults must follow for children.

What are the Basic Rights of a Child in the UK?

The basic rights of a child in the UK include but are not limited to:

• The right to life, survival, and development.
• The right to a name and nationality.
• The right to have their best interests considered and their views respected.
• The right to live in a family environment.
• The right to education, leisure, culture, and the arts.
• The right to health and healthcare.

My Grandchildren are in the Care of the Local Authority. Is There Anything I Can Do?

Assistance of a grandparent may deter the Local Authority from issuing Care Proceedings. You can help by caring for children in the short, medium, and long term. You can also become approved kinship foster carers. Grandparents are also able to assist by offering to facilitate and supervise contact between children and their parents.

See more on our grandparents rights page.