If you have received a PLO letter, please contact a Pre Proceedings Solicitor for advice. Pre-proceedings, often referred to as PLO (Public Law Outline) meetings, are held with the Local Authority when they have serious concerns about a child’s welfare. These meetings serve as a final effort to discuss, with the child’s parents, what measures and support can be put in place to look after the child’s welfare. If the situation does not improve for the child, the Local Authority may decide to issue care proceedings, so the pre-proceedings, or PLO, process is starting to work with parents before the matter is taken to Court.
A letter will be sent from the Local Authority to the parents which will state that the parents are required to attend a pre-proceedings, or PLO, meeting with the Local Authority. The letter will advise the parents to instruct a solicitor to attend the meeting with them as the pre-proceedings, or PLO, process is a formal legal process so it is important to have a solicitor present to advise and assist the parents throughout the process.
During the pre-proceedings meeting, the parents will be given a “statement of expectations” which sets out what is expected of the parents in respect of their child in order to ensure the child’s welfare is safeguarded and address the concerns held by the Local Authority in relation to the child.
Care proceedings may be issued by the Local Authority if the expectations set out in the statement of expectations are not met and the Local Authority continues to have concerns for the welfare of the child.
Our family team are able to attend pre-proceedings meetings with parents and advise parents before the initial meeting takes place. These meetings are very important as if progress is not made within the pre-proceedings process, the Local Authority may decide to issue Court proceedings. Having an experienced legal professional to represent you can, therefore, be crucial.
If you have received a letter from the Local Authority regarding the welfare of your child, you should contact us as soon as possible. We appreciate that receiving such a letter can be scary and confusing. However, it is very important that you follow the instructions in the letter carefully, and that you engage positively in this process to demonstrate that you are willing to improving your child’s welfare. Our team of family experts are on hand to assist you and explain things in a clear manner for you to understand. Call Reeds Solicitors LLP on 0333 240 7373 or via email on info@reeds.co.uk.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if I have received a pre-proceedings letter?
If you have received a letter from the Local Authority regarding the welfare of your child, you should seek legal assistance as soon as possible. Our expert team of family lawyers are able to attend pre-proceedings meetings with parents. These meetings are very important as if progress is not made within the pre-proceedings process, the Local Authority may decide to issue Court proceedings.
We appreciate that receiving a pre-proceedings letter can be scary and confusing. However, it is very important that you follow the instructions in the letter, even if you do not agree with the concerns raised within the letter, as it is important to demonstrate that you are willing to work with the Local Authority to safeguard your child’s welfare if there are concerns around it.
Our team of family experts are on hand to assist you and explain things in a clear manner for you to understand. Call Reeds Solicitors LLP on 0333 240 7373 or via email on info@reeds.com.
How will a solicitors help me during a pre-proceedings meeting?
At Reeds Solicitors, we have a team of family lawyers who regularly assist parents in pre-proceedings meetings.
We will meet with you prior to your initial meeting to understand your situation and advise you on the legal process and the merits of your matter. We will then attend the pre-proceedings meeting with you and the Local Authority.
During the pre-proceedings meeting, the parents will be given a “statement of expectations” which sets out what is expected of the parents in respect of their child in order to ensure the child’s welfare is safeguarded and to address the concerns held by the Local Authority in relation to the child. We will work through these expectations with you to ensure that you are implementing the changes in the way the Local Authority expects which will in turn improve your child’s welfare and reduce the concerns and risks perceived by the Local Authority.
If the Local Authority decides that you have not been able to address the concerns held and improve your child’s welfare, they may decide to issue Court proceedings. We will be able to represent you within those Court proceedings (also referred to as Care Proceedings).
What does PLO mean?
PLO stands for ‘Public Law Outline’. PLO are a set of rules which tell social workers how to deal with child welfare cases.
The rules under the PLO state that if the Local Authority are considering applying for a care or supervision order at court, they should invite the parents to a meeting to discuss the concerns they have in relation to the child. This is known as a pre-proceedings meeting.
What happens during a pre-proceedings meeting?
Prior to a pre-proceedings meeting, the Local Authority would have already engaged their own solicitors and sought advice as to whether or not they are likely to be successful in applying for a care or supervision order. If the Local Authority are considering applying for an order, they will send out a pre-proceedings, or PLO, letter detailing the concerns surrounding the welfare of the child. The letter will also contain an invitation to a meeting which must be attended by the parents, with their legal representation, and the Local Authority.
The Local Authority must try to assist parents in looking after their child, and during the pre-proceedings meeting, the parents will be given a “statement of expectations” which sets out what is expected of the parents in respect of their child in order to ensure the child’s welfare and address the concerns held by the Local Authority in relation to the child.
There are usually three outcomes following a pre-proceedings meeting:
- No further action is required;
- Continued support is required from the Local Authority;
- The Local Authority make an application to Court (known as care proceedings)
If support is going to be offered by the Local Authority, specific improvements will be outlined to the parents in the form of a statement or contract. The parents will be given expectations as to what these improvements look like, as well as the time frames in which these improvements should be implemented (usually 6-8 weeks). The Local Authority will explain that if improvements are not made, then the case will be taken to court.
At the end of the pre-proceedings meeting, the Local Authority will set a review date. This meeting will be to review and consider how the parents and child are doing and whether any improvements are being made. A social worker will also monitor the child’s welfare and take note of whether improvements are being made, from the meeting close until the review meeting. If the social worker does not see an improvement and the child is at immediate risk of significant harm, court proceedings could be started early. In making an application to Court, the Local Authority may ask the court to agree to a child being removed from the home immediately.
Care proceedings begin if the changes set out in the statement of expectations are not met and the Local Authority continue to have serious concerns for the welfare of the child.
Our family solicitors regularly advise our clients with regards to pre-proceedings and assist them throughout the process. Any parents facing pre-proceedings should contact us as soon as possible for legal advice, as any decisions made early in the process can significantly impact the future conduct of the proceedings and, most importantly, what happens to your child in the future.
Several our solicitors are members of the Law Society’s Children Panel, and we regularly represent children through CAFCASS in care proceedings.
How long is the pre-proceedings process?
The process should conclude within 6 months but it can exceed this time limit depending on the support being provided to the parents and what, if any, improvements are made. This includes a number of meetings between yourself and the Local Authority. We will support you throughout the whole process and will attend all of the meetings with you. Your legal representative will keep you updated in relation to the timescales of the process.
What will happen if I have to go to court?
If parents are unable to address the concerns held by the Local Authority and meet the expectations outlined in the statement of expectations, the Local Authority will issue care-proceedings by issuing an application to Court.
Care proceedings is the name for the legal proceedings made in the Family Court. Care proceedings begin when the Local Authority (Social Services) make an application for a care or supervision order. The Local Authority will make an application in instances where they are concerned that a child has suffered or is suffering significant harm or is at risk of suffering significant harm. In doing so, the Local Authority may ask the Court to agree for a child to be removed from the care of their parents, placed with other family members or in foster care.
If the matter goes to Court, please contact us on 0333 240 7373 or via email at info@reeds.com to speak to one of our family lawyers.
Am I entitled to Legal Aid in pre-proceedings?
As a parent, or someone with parental responsibility for a child, in pre-proceedings, you are automatically entitled to Legal Aid regardless of your financial situation.
To discuss your options, please contact us on 0333 240 7373 or via email at info@reeds.com.
Our expert team of Family Lawyers understand that pre-proceedings can be a very distressing and upsetting time for parents. We always treat every case with sensitivity. Our expert team are on hand to support and guide you through the process so that you always know what to expect. We will explain the law to you in a way that is easy for you to understand. For an initial discussion, call us on 0333 240 7373 or contact Reeds Solicitors LLP on info@reeds.com.
