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135 <div class="panel-body">
136 <h1>
136 Legal Planning Meetings
136 </h1>
141 <div class="well">
142 <p class="bold">
142 RELATED GUIDANCE
143 </p>
144 <p>
144 <a href="https://www.judiciary.uk/publications/protocol-good-practice-model-2013/"
target="_blank" rel="noopener">
144 Protocol and Good Practice Model: Disclosure of Information in Cases of Alleged Child
Abuse and Linked Criminal and Care Direction Hearings (October 2013)
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145 RELATED GUIDANCE
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href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/306282/Statu
tory_guidance_on_court_orders_and_pre-proceedings.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
147 Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities on Court Orders and Pre-Proceedings (2014)
147 </a>
147 </p>
148 <p class="bold">
148 This chapter is currently under review.
148 </p>
149 </div>
156 <div class="section">
156 <h2 id="purpose">
156 1. Purpose of Legal Planning Meetings
156 </h2>
157 <p>
157 Legal Planning Meetings are an essential part of the process for dealing with public law
children's cases under the public law outline.
157 </p>
158 <p>
158 Sir James Munby, as President of the Family Division in '
158 <a href="files/mumby_may13.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
158 The Process of Reform: the revised PLO and the Local Authority
158 </a>
158 ', states that a properly organised legal planning meeting is invaluable and can be the key
to achieving timely outcomes to care proceedings. He also recommends that local authority
lawyers be involved, advising and assisting their social work clients, at an early stage.
158 </p>
159 <p>
159 A Legal Planning Meeting should be held to discuss the way forward in a particular case,
where an application for a legal order may be required. This can include:
159 </p>
160 <ul>
161 <li>
161 Following an application for an emergency protection order when consideration is being
given to an application for an interim care order;
161 </li>
162 <li>
162 When it is clear that the protection or welfare of a child cannot be achieved by agreement
with the parents, or the security of a legal order is necessary to ensure the viability of
a plan for a child, or the existing court order is not providing adequate protection for
the child;
162 </li>
163 <li>
163 Where it is thought that a legal order may be required in order to assist in the
permanence planning for children, whether that is a return to the family or to achieve
permanence elsewhere.
163 </li>
164 </ul>
165 <p>
165 At the meeting, a decision should be made in principle about whether the threshold criteria
have been met. The local authority should then decide, based on a robust analysis of the
level of assessed risk, whether:
165 </p>
166 <ul>
167 <li>
167 It is in the best interests of the child to provide a further period of support for the
family with the aim of avoiding proceedings; or
167 </li>
168 <li>
168 Whether proceedings should be initiated immediately.
168 </li>
169 </ul>
170 <p>
170 The meeting should also identify any evidence gaps, clarify whether additional assessments
will be required, and consider what would be a suitable draft care plan for the child.
170 </p>
171 <p>
171 <span class="bold">
171 Note
171 </span>
171 : where children are already section 20 Accommodated there should be no delay in issuing
proceedings where this is required, (see
171 <a href="p_dec_look_aft.html#section_20">
171 Decision to Look After and Care Planning Procedure, Section 20 Accommodation
171 </a>
171 ).
171 </p>
172 </div>
173 <div class="section1">
173 </div>
179 <div class="section">
179 <h2 id="considerations">
179 2. Considerations
179 </h2>
180 <p>
180 A Legal Planning Meeting is an opportunity to discuss a case fully, and to consult with
colleagues to ensure that children are the subject of active case management and that
appropriate legal action is taken when required to promote and safeguard the welfare of the
child.
180 </p>
181 The role of the local authority legal adviser is to advise about the legal possibilities for
achieving the desired aim and to give a view about the quality of the evidence available.
182 <p>
182 In order to enable a full discussion to take place, the following must be available:
182 </p>
183 <ul>
184 <li>
184 Relevant assessment/s;
184 </li>
185 <li>
185 An up to date chronology;
185 </li>
186 <li>
186 A Plan or a clear indication that options for a plan have been considered;
186 </li>
187 <li>
187 A genogram.
187 </li>
188 </ul>
189 <p>
189 The issues to be considered at the meeting will include the following:
189 </p>
190 <ul>
191 <li>
191 The reasons for the concerns and the evidential basis for establishing significant harm
and the threshold criteria;
191 </li>
192 <li>
192 Why Care Proceedings are necessary - what is their aim, objective and purpose?
192 </li>
193 <li>
193 The steps already taken to clarify the issues of concern - i.e. Assessment, as well as
other medical and other expert involvement;
193 </li>
194 <li>
194 Whether the requirements of the Pre-Proceedings Checklist set out in the Public Law
Outline have been met, including a written notification to the parents about the areas of
concern and their right to seek legal advice. See
194 <a href="p_care_supervis_plo.html">
194 Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline Procedure
194 </a>
194 ;
194 </li>
195 <li>
195 When will the Assessment and other supporting documentation be available, if not already?
195 <br>
196 <br>
197 <span class="bold">
197 Note
197 </span>
197 that with pre-birth situations a recent High Court judgment has set out good practice
steps to include:
198 <ul>
199 <li>
199 A risk assessment of the parent(s) should be undertaken immediately the social workers
are made aware of the mother's pregnancy and should be completed 4 weeks before the
mother's expected delivery date and disclosed to the parent(s) (and their solicitor
where relevant);
199 </li>
200 <li>
200 All relevant documentation should be then sent to the Local Authority Legal Adviser to
issue proceedings.
200 <br>
201 <br>
202 (See
202 <a href="p_care_supervis_plo.html#pre_birth_plan">
202 Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline Procedure, Pre-Birth
Planning and Proceedings
202 </a>
202 ).
202 </li>
202 </ul>
202 </li>
202 </ul>
203 <ul>
204 <li>
204 The action/decisions already taken and where the decisions were made e.g. strategy
discussion/meeting, child protection conference, core group meeting;
204 </li>
205 <li>
205 The proposed care plan for the child, including the proposed placement and any cultural,
language and ethnic issues, the need for a twin track plan, consultation with parents and
the wider family, whether any family members are available to care for the child on an
interim or permanent basis, if so whether the required checks have been made, the
proposals for contact;
205 </li>
206 <li>
206 How the proposed Care Plan is to be achieved, including where appropriate arranging a date
for the case to be presented to the Adoption Panel;
206 </li>
207 <li>
207 Whether it may be appropriate to instruct any further expert assessment before the
commencement of court proceedings - if so, what are the proposed remit of the instructions
and the areas to be addressed, who should the assessment be done by and what are the
likely timescales?
207 </li>
208 <li>
208 Have there been previous Court proceedings in relation to the family? If so, what steps
are required to obtain the papers in relation to the case from the Court? or another local
authority?
208 </li>
209 <li>
209 When will the social worker's Statement of Evidence be ready?
209 </li>
210 </ul>
211 <p>
211 If Care Proceedings are recommended, the
211 <a href="p_care_supervis_plo.html">
211 Care and Supervision Proceedings and the Public Law Outline Procedure
211 </a>
211 should be followed.
211 </p>
212 <p>
212 Any potential issues/documentation regarding parental capacity to litigate should be flagged
up at the meeting.
212 </p>
213 </div>
214 <div class="section1">
214 </div>
220 <div class="section">
220 <h2 id="who">
220 3. Who can Convene Legal Planning Meetings
220 </h2>
221 <p>
221 The decision to convene a Legal Planning Meeting will be made by the social worker's line
manager - the decision will usually be taken following a recommendation from a Child
Protection Conference, as a result of a Looked After Review, a Permanence Planning Meeting,
or on the request of a social worker, manager, local authority lawyer, or other agency.
221 </p>
222 </div>
223 <div class="section1">
223 </div>
229 <div class="section">
229 <h2 id="attendance">
229 4. Attendance at Legal Planning Meetings
229 </h2>
230 <p>
230 The meeting will be chaired by the social worker's line manager, and will usually involve
the following: the child's social worker; a local authority legal adviser; and any other
professional from other agencies or services that have relevant involvement with the
family and whose view would assist in making decisions about the child's legal status, who
has first-hand evidence and may be a potential witness, and/or who may be involved in the
provision of services integral to the order being sought.
230 </p>
231 Where the child has been in foster care, the views of the foster carer should be sought by the
child's social worker, and taken into consideration in the legal planning meeting. This may
include information on the child's progress in their placement and on the impact of contact
with their family.
231 </div>
232 <div class="section1">
232 </div>
238 <div class="section">
238 <h2 id="timing">
238 5. Timing and Duration of Legal Planning Meetings
238 </h2>
239 <p>
239 The timing of a Legal Planning Meeting is likely to be determined by the urgency of court
proceedings and the need to allow sufficient time for necessary preparation.
239 </p>
240 </div>
241 <div class="section1">
241 </div>
247 <div class="section">
247 <h2 id="recording">
247 6. Recording of Legal Planning Meetings
247 </h2>
248 <p>
248 Notes of Legal Planning Meetings should be circulated to all attendees. These are legally
privileged and should not be made available to parents or other parties in any potential
proceedings without the permission of the chairperson or Director.
248 </p>
249 </div>
250 <div class="section1">
250 </div>
256 <div class="section">
256 <h2 id="review">
256 7. Review/Subsequent Legal Planning Meetings
256 </h2>
257 <p>
257 The meeting should consider whether further Legal Planning Meetings are necessary and if so,
when. It may be that new information emerges which requires a change of plan for the child.
In this event, the Legal Planning Meeting must be reconvened in order to consider the
implications for the legal plan.
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