Child Care Law
Our specialist child care department advises in all cases in which social services are involved. We advise and represent parents and other family members in applications brought by the social services department for care or supervision orders and can provide advice even before proceedings are brought.
Our Law Society Children Panel accredited lawyers also represent children and Children’s Guardians in care cases when appointed by the court to do so. Children’s Guardians may also appoint our solicitors to provide representation in contact and residence disputes where the court has directed that the children should be separately represented from their parents. We also provide advice and representation to those seeking to adopt children.
Our child care team comprises four Law Society Children Panel members: Lorna Cservenka and Jackie Pearce are both partners, Caroline Little and Paulena Panayiotou are our two consultants. Samantha Cook and Michael Brierley are also specialist solicitors representing parents and family members in care proceedings. The child care team has the support of one trainee solicitor and our secretary Amanda Channer.
The majority of our work is funded by legal aid. We offer competitive rates for those not eligible for legal aid.
The welfare of the child is always the most important consideration in proceedings relating to children and our specialist child care team will provide high quality advice and representation in the very complex and emotional issues involved in such proceedings.