If you are the parent of a child who is subject to care proceedings, you have the right to your own solicitor and will qualify for Legal Aid.
You may also qualify for Legal Aid if you are involved with or connected in some other way to a child who is the subject of care proceedings. For example, you may have a child arrangements order for a child to live with you, or you may have been invited by the court to intervene in proceedings. Legal Aid in these cases is not guaranteed, but we can help guide you through the process to determine whether you qualify.
Our team has a wealth of experience in dealing with cases involving Local Authority intervention.
We offer Legal Aid and represent parents at pre-proceedings Public Law Outline (PLO) meetings and in any court proceedings issued following this process. Legal Aid is available to all parents, regardless of financial circumstances, when used for a PLO matter.
We understand how stressful it can be if Children’s Services become involved with your family and the importance of seeking advice as early as possible.
Our team represents parents, children, their Guardians, and extended family members. The team also has experience of representing the Local Authority in court.
We have four solicitors who specialise in care proceedings work; Richard Westley Jo Craddock, Victoria Harvey and Hannah Naughton. Richard, Jo and Victoria are members of the Law Society Children Panel.
If you are unsure as to whether you qualify for Legal Aid, we will be happy to advise you, and you can also check if you are eligible for legal aid on the government website.
We also act on a private basis.
Contact Richard Westley on 01827 317070 for advice on how to get legal aid or email family@pickerings-solicitors.com
