Child Protection Conference Solicitors
As a parent, your child’s wellbeing and safety will be your top priority. Social Services and other agencies will also have a vested interest in ensuring that your children are protected from harm, which may lead to the arrangement of a Child Protection Conference.
Child Protection Conferences, or any other type of meeting with authorities such as Social Services, can be understandably daunting and have the potential to cause lots of emotional upset for everyone involved.
At Tayntons, our solicitors have many years of experience in supporting parents through the child protection conference process.
For initial advice and to discuss your legal options, we offer an initial consultation of up to 45 minutes for a fixed fee of £75 + VAT (£90.00).
Speak to one of our children law solicitors now by calling 0800 158 4147 or request a call back, and a member of our team will be in touch promptly.
Our Child Protection Conference Services
Representation for Child Protection Conferences
Meeting with Social Services to discuss your situation and that of your child can be unnerving, especially as you may be concerned that you will lose access to your children or that they will be taken into care.
It is important to note that, just because a Child Protection Conference has been scheduled, this does not mean that your child will be taken into care. The aim of the meeting will be to assess all of the relevant information and circumstances to determine how best to safeguard a child and their welfare. Any decisions made will be set out in a Child Protection Plan, which will then be reviewed periodically.
Our child law solicitors can advise you on the specifics of your case, help you understand the reports provided by Social Services prior to attending the conference.
Guidance on Child Protection plans
A Child Protection Plan will be set out following a conference. It acts as tool to enable you and any other professionals to understand what is expected in relation to the welfare of your child.
Once the plan has been made, our child law solicitors can advise you in relation to Child Protection plans, ensuring you are fully aware of your roles and responsibilities, as well as reviewing whether the terms of the plan are appropriate for your circumstances.
Commonly asked questions about Child Protection Conferences
What is a Child Protection Conference?
A Child Protection Conference is a meeting between family members, professionals (such as Social Services) and the child (where appropriate) to decide on a child’s future safety, health and welfare.
Discussions will be held which will address whether the child is at risk of immediate or significant harm and whether they should be placed on a Child Protection Plan.
Who attends a Child Protection Conference?
The conference will be attended by professionals who know the family and the child. This could include social workers, teachers, doctors or specialist police officers.
Parents and carers are strongly encouraged to attend, but they are not obligated to do so.
Can I appeal the outcome of a Child Protection Conference?
It may be possible to appeal the outcome of a Child Protection Conference, but this will largely depend on the policy of the relevant local authority.
If a parent is unhappy with how children’s services have acts, they can put forward their concerns in writing to the chair of the Child Protection Committee.
What is a Child Protection Plan?
A Child Protection Plan needs to set out:
- The likelihood of a child suffering harm
- The short and long term aims to reduce the likelihood of a child suffering harm
- Clarification of people’s responsibilities
- An outline of how progress will be monitored and evaluated
Why choose Tayntons’ child law solicitors?
Tayntons’ child law team has been helping families to resolve issues related to Child Protection Conferences and Child Protection Plans for many years in Gloucester and throughout Gloucestershire, including Cheltenham and the Forest of Dean.
Our child law solicitors know how complicated and emotive these issues can be. As such, we always strive to provide empathetic, yet practical advice, helping to make the process as straightforward and stress-free as possible.
We have a strong focus on good communication, so we will make sure all of your legal options are explained in plain English and keep you updated at all times, so you are never left in the dark or unsure what you need to do next.
Tayntons’ family law solicitors are accredited by the Law Society for Children Law, recognising our particular expertise in this area. Several of our team are members of Resolution – an organisation committed to taking a non-confrontational approach to family law.
As a firm, we have been awarded the Law Society’s Lexcel accreditation reflecting the excellence of our practice management and client care.
Get in touch with our child law solicitors in Gloucester
Looking for legal advice and support with Child Protection Conferences in Gloucester, Cheltenham, the Forest of Dean or anywhere in Gloucestershire?
Please contact us today by calling 0800 158 4147, emailing us at info@tayntons.co.uk or requesting a call back.