Urgent advice when social services are involved with your children. Free legal aid for parents in care proceedings, from our North Shields office for families across Newcastle and the North East.
The involvement of social services can be an extremely distressing experience for parents and family members.
Our experienced care proceedings solicitors provide urgent legal advice and representation in cases involving local authority intervention, child protection concerns and court proceedings.
All care proceedings at Usher Family Law are handled by Children Law accredited solicitors. This accreditation recognises a solicitor’s specialist knowledge, skill, and experience in representing families in public law children cases. You can be confident your case is being dealt with by a lawyer who understands both the law and the realities of care proceedings.
We represent parents, children, grandparents and other family members in Care Order and Supervision Order applications, Child Protection Conferences and Public Law Outline (PLO) meetings. Our priority is to protect our clients' rights while ensuring that children's welfare remains at the centre of all decisions.
Care proceedings are always funded by legal aid, regardless of your income, savings, or property. Legal aid is non-means tested and non-merits tested, meaning our representation is free of charge from start to finish.
We advise on:
If your child may live with a family member, a special guardianship order can give that person the legal authority to care for them.
If you are separated and disagree about where your children live or the time they spend with each parent, we can help.
What are care proceedings?
Care proceedings are court cases brought by a local authority when they believe a child is at risk of significant harm. The court can make orders about where a child lives and what support or supervision is required.
Do I need a solicitor for care proceedings?
Yes. Care proceedings are complex and fast-moving. Having a specialist care proceedings solicitor ensures your rights are protected and your case is properly presented.
Is legal aid always available in care proceedings?
Yes. Legal aid is automatically available in care proceedings, regardless of income or assets. Representation is free.
How long do care proceedings last?
Care proceedings usually last up to 26 weeks, although some cases can take longer depending on complexity.
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