Children & Social Services Solicitors

We recognise that legal proceedings or pre-proceedings involving your own children or those of close family members can cause tremendous stress and upset.

At Biscoes, our dedicated team of children and social services solicitors are here to support you through complex and sensitive legal matters involving your family.

We have a Care and Adoption department that is accredited by the Law Society for Children Law, committed to providing clear, compassionate, and expert guidance at every stage.

Whether you need advice on care proceedings, child protection concerns, special guardianship, or any other issues involving social services, our experienced team will work with you to find the best possible outcome.

We also have expertise in lesser-known areas such as female genital mutilation (FGM) and Forced Marriage Protection Orders. Our specialists are here to protect your rights and ensure that your voice is heard. We approach every case with sensitivity and professionalism, striving to make the legal process as straightforward as possible during what can be a distressing time.

Specifically, our child law solicitors’ expertise includes:

Care Proceedings
Social Services Investigations and Court Proceedings
Parental Responsibility
Emergency Protection Orders and Police Powers of Protection
Adoption
Special Guardianship Orders
Pre-Proceedings (often referred to as Public Law Outline or PLO)
Child Protection Conferences
Forced Marriage Protection Orders
Female Genital Mutilation Protection Orders

Speak to our children law solicitors today

If you would like to contact one of our children law solicitors in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, please call 02392 660261 . Alternatively, please fill out this simple contact form, and we will respond promptly.

Why work with our children law solicitors?

Biscoes’ dedicated social care solicitors have extensive expertise in child law advice, providing the support and legal guidance you and your loved ones need during challenging times. We keep in mind the wider impact of our legal services on your family’s future and provide support wherever possible.

Our Care and Adoption department is recognised as one of the leading South Coast Care and Adoption Teams, which has in the past been awarded recognition under the LexisNexis Family Law Awards.

With a track record of success and a commitment to impeccable, empathetic client care, Biscoes is here to guide you with confidence and compassion. Our priority is always to achieve the fairest and most positive outcome for you and your family, ensuring you feel supported and empowered every step of the way.

Where possible, we provide legal aid and, in some cases, offer fixed fees, with complete transparency on costs throughout your case. Many of our legal experts are part of the Law Society’s Children Panel and can help at every stage of your case, from providing initial advice to representing you at court hearings.

As a firm, we proudly hold the prestigious Lexcel accreditation, a testament to our excellence in legal practice management and outstanding client care.

Our children law services

Care proceedings

Care proceedings are court proceedings brought by local authorities with regard to children, sometimes called social services or Children’s Services, under The Children Act 1989. A local authority might apply for a Care Order from the court if they believe that a child is suffering from or likely to suffer significant harm if a Care Order is not made. The Care Order will then allow the local authority to share parental responsibility with the parents.

Biscoes’ care proceedings solicitors understand the severity of these situations and can advise on how to proceed if the court has granted a Care Order. This is a stressful time, and we can help you put your best foot forward to represent you and your child’s best interests in court.

Social services investigations and court proceedings

Social services investigations and court proceedings can be distressing, especially when a third party is making decisions regarding your child’s welfare. If social services become involved with your family, they may investigate concerns and, sometimes, apply to the court for subsequent orders.

Biscoes’ social services solicitors can support you through the process, ensuring that your child’s best interests are protected and your parental rights upheld. We regularly represent parents, guardians, and family members in child protection cases, care proceedings, and Emergency Protection Orders. Our team will guide you through every stage, offering clear legal advice and strong representation in court.

Parental responsibility

Parental responsibility is the legal right to make important decisions about a child’s upbringing, including on matters such as medical care, welfare, and education. It is automatically afforded to biological mothers and, in most instances, fathers, but sometimes it may be necessary to apply for it through the courts.

Our child law advice specialists can help you secure parental responsibility so that you can care for your child appropriately. Whether you are a step-parent, unmarried partner, or guardian, our team can guide you through agreements or court applications.

Emergency Protection Orders and Police Powers of Protection

A local authority may apply to the court for an Emergency Protection Order (EPO) to remove a child from their parents’ care in the case of a genuine emergency or when interim measures may not be ready fast enough. EPOs can last for eight days, but local authorities can extend them by an additional seven days through an application.

The police also have the ability to remove a child from the care of their parents without going to the court in cases where extreme measures are necessary. This power only lasts 72 hours, unless the court grants the Local Authority an EPO.

If your local authority is seeking an Emergency Protection Order or if the police use their powers of protection, it is critical that you seek legal advice. Our Emergency Protection Orders and Police Powers of Protection team can advise you on your options and ensure that you follow the proper procedures to minimise the harm faced by the child and protect your parental rights.

Adoption

Adoption allows the permanent transfer of parental responsibility from a child’s biological parents to their new adoptive parents. It can be the key legal provision for securing a stable, loving home for a child, and the full legal rights and responsibilities for the adoptive parents.

Our Adoption Solicitors work with our social services solicitors to ensure that the adoption process goes smoothly for you and the child, minimising delays and smoothing out the process so that you can secure your Adoption Order and begin to care for your new family unit.

Special Guardianship Orders

A Special Guardianship Order (SGO) can be used to grant a person, typically a relative or close family friend, legal responsibility for a child when they are unable to live with their parents. A Special Guardianship Order is an alternative to adoption, ensuring that a child has a secure home while also maintaining a legal relationship with their birth family.

Biscoes’ experienced children solicitors can guide you through our Special Guardianship Order service, from preparing court applications to assessing eligibility. Our dedicated child lawyers will provide clear, easy-to-follow advice and represent you in court where suitable.

Pre-proceedings (often referred to as Public Law Outline or PLO)

Pre-proceedings, sometimes referred to as the Public Law Outline (PLO) process, occur when social services have serious concerns about a child’s welfare and are considering taking court action. At this stage, parents can work with social services to address the issues that have been raised.

Biscoes’ experienced Public Law solicitors provide expert guidance during PLO meetings, ensuring your rights are protected and helping you proactively work with social services. We will explain each of your options and help you to take a path that will lead you back to your child.

Child Protection Conferences

A Child Protection Conference is a formal meeting that may be held should social services believe that a child is at risk of harm. It puts parents, social workers, and other professionals into conversation to address concerns and decide whether a Child Protection Plan is necessary.

Biscoes’ children solicitors can advise you on a private basis in the lead up to these meetings and support you during, ensuring that your rights are protected and your voice is heard. We will provide clear, compassionate guidance every step of the way, acting at your discretion for the best interests of your child.

Forced Marriage Protection Order

A Forced Marriage Protection Order (FMPO) is a legal safeguard intended to protect individuals being pressured into marriage, or who have already been forced into one. It can prevent coercion, threats, or any other progress towards forced marriages.

Our dedicated team provides a Forced Marriage Protection Order service to help you in your application for an FMPO, acting quickly to keep you safe. Our compassionate child lawyers provide confidential and effective advice with your safety at the forefront of our minds. If you or someone you know is at risk, we are here to help you take urgent legal steps.

Female Genital Mutilation Protection Orders

A Female Genital Mutilation Protection Order (FGMPO) is a legal measure designed to protect individuals at risk of or who been subjected to female genital mutilation (FGM). It can prevent someone from facilitating or carrying out FGM and offer protection for those in danger, including travel restrictions if there is a risk of being taken abroad.

Biscoes’ experienced children solicitors offer Female Genital Mutilation Protection Order Services to ensure that urgent legal action is taken to safeguard those at risk of FGM. We will provide confidential but robust legal advice and represent you in court where necessary. Our commitment to protecting and safeguarding potential victims and victims of FGM extends even if legal aid isn’t available and can’t be obtained. In such cases, we will undertake work pro bono, subject to capacity.

How is our work funded?

There are a few different funding options that may be available to you, depending on your circumstances and relation to the child.

For biological parents to a child subject to proceedings or pre-proceedings brought by a local authority, you will be entitled to public funding under either the legal aid or the Legal Help Scheme. You are automatically entitled to this funding and we will not require proof of your income or the strength of your case.
For grandparents, step-parents, aunts, uncles, and other non-parents during care proceedings, the Legal Aid Agency does not provide automatic funding, meaning you will have to succeed in a means and merits-based assessment. This means that your financial circumstances and the strength of your case will be examined by the Legal Aid Agency.

This can be a complicated process for those without training in legal aid applications. Fortunately, we have a number of staff who make these applications on a day-to-day basis. Please therefore contact us as soon as possible for advice about securing public funding and/or your case in general.