Children's services
Challenges for organisations working with children are growing rapidly. Baby P and subsequent cases such as Daniel Pelka and Star Hobson have shone a bright light on safeguarding children generally, as well as leading to unprecedented levels of care applications and continuing structural reform. Our specialists understand the blurring of demarcation lines and responsibilities between professionals in health, education and social care and the issues these bring. We offer pragmatic, inclusive, sensitive and specialist advice through alignment of your resources and specialists.
We have:
- a national reputation, with experience spanning education, health and social care;
- lawyers seconded to NHS Trusts, Local Authorities, private providers and national inspectorates;
- NHS Resolution panel members;
- an established client base, over 50 unitary or top-tier local authorities, over 50 NHS Trusts, national charities, insurers, national sporting bodies and independent health and social care providers; and
- a team of in-house barristers experienced in the family Courts.
We offer a full range of services spanning advisory matters on safeguarding and child protection, employment, public inquiries and investigations, contentious claims and court proceedings in the family and other courts.
We also have extensive experience in representing NHS bodies where it is necessary to intervene in care proceedings, including in cases of fabricated and induced illness matters, and to authorise a child’s deprivation of liberty. We’ve also been successful in seeking orders on behalf of an NHS Integrated Care Board via the Court’s inherent jurisdiction to seek passport surrender and port alerts to prevent a family taking their child out of the country.
Featured experience
Wigan BC v Y
concerning the deprivation of liberty of a 12 year old child with mental health issues.
RL v Nottinghamshire CC & Anor
Representing the Trust in a parent鈥檚 application to reopen a finding of fact in relation to a fracture of a baby .
Key contacts
Gerard Hanratty
Partner
Mark Barnett
Partner
Charlotte Harpin
Partner
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Kinship care: DJ v Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council and SG
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Vicarious liability for kinship foster carer abuse: Implications for local authority insurers
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Relying on parental consent for treatment and restraint against a child's wishes
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Mitigating the 拢6.2bn black hole: Are councils maximising these resources well enough?
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Court of Appeal extends local authority liability for kinship foster carers
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Redress and reparation schemes: Where the complexity is not about quantum
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Independent review of children鈥檚 social care 鈥 focus on foster care
This summer saw the publication of a report describing itself as a 鈥榦nce in a generation鈥 opportunity to reset children social care. Based on the current trajectory, the report concluded that 100,000 children would be held in care in the next decade.
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Complex safeguarding allegations
Whilst Schools and Academies exist to educate and inspire young people, their primary obligation is their protection. Keeping Children Safe in Education (鈥淜CSIE鈥) is at the heart of everything that educational institutions do and impacts on every decision, however big or small.
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'Barry Bennell case' webinar
This webinar looks at the three key themes in the decision, and is aimed at sports & social clubs (including safeguarding officers).
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Child Abuse & Social Care Forum
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KCSIE: How to research applicants' online profiles
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High Court strikes out 鈥榝ailure to remove鈥 Human Right Act claim against two local authorities
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Children's social care forum
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More guidance on failure to remove claims: what are the implications for children's services and SAR teams?
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In June 2020 the University of Birmingham published a research briefing exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child protection practice.
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The Coronavirus Bill 鈥 Social Care implications
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