Subjects:

Family Law

Contents:

Foreword by Mr Justice Munby

1 Fundamental principles and good practice

2 Professional conduct and practice management

3 Child development and communication issues

4 Safeguarding and services

5 Multi-agency child protection system

6 Emergency powers

7 Secure accommodation orders

8 Assessments

9 Contact in public law proceedings

10 Care plans

11 Looked after and leaving care

12. Adoption under the Adoption and Children Act 2002

13. Education, Special Educational Needs and Disability

14. Housing issues

15. Mental health

16. Criminal issues

17. Immigration, asylum and nationality

18. Children in private law proceedings

19. Acting for the child or young person

20. Role of the children’

s guardian

21. Acting for parents

22. Representing the local authority

23. Effective case management

24. Disclosure and information sharing

25. Expert Evidence

26. Outside court and after proceedings

This practical guide draws together all the essential practice material to create a vital working tool for busy practitioners. Based on the authors' extensive experience, their comprehensive teaching materials for a popular Law Society Children Panel Qualifying course and their contribution to the Law Society's Good Practice in Child Care Cases, it is a completely new way of accessing the huge range of detailed information essential to good practice in children's cases.

The interdisciplinary approach to child law is the cornerstone of good practice and decision making, but increasingly important in the wake of the Children Act 2004, which emphasises comprehensive safeguarding and integrated services. Starting with the fundamental components of good practice including human rights and diversity issues, this easy to use volume brings together the key sources of good practice for all those involved in children's cases.

Each chapter directs the reader to key themes and issues within core, specialist and complex areas of practice, with a list of material essential to each subject area and references to further reading. This makes it an invaluable tool for both newcomers and more experienced practitioners, to fill gaps in knowledge, improve skills and assist in critically evaluating the work of others in safeguarding children.