Case Study – Care Proceedings

Our client came to us as a mother who was in a mental health crisis; she provided consent for the children to be accommodated by the Local Authority under section 76 of the Social Services and Wellbeing Act 2014. This meant that the children were placed in care on a voluntary, temporary basis. Following this, the Local Authority instigated proceedings whereby the Court felt an Interim Care Order was necessary. This meant that the Local Authority now shared parental responsibility during proceedings.  There were various factors leading up to this point; members of the public and officials had serious concerns that the mother was struggling to cope and that she was involved in drugs and neglecting the needs of the children.

We helped our client navigate the legal landscape of care proceedings, including the preparation of our client’s evidence. We represented our client at a Case Management Hearing where the Judge directed a parenting assessment of our client along with drug and alcohol testing. 

Our client wanted to rehabilitate and wanted the children back in her care but understood that she had to prove that she could change. With some hard work, the mother had continued to remain abstinent from drugs and engaged with mental health support and other agencies to improve her parenting. At a Final Hearing, our client’s hard work was recognised by the Judge, and she was commended for her efforts. The Local Authority proposed a final care plan for the children to gradually return to the mother’s care with an agreed contract of expectations and a rehabilitation plan. This plan was then endorsed by the Court.