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At the first Hearing following Social Services’ application for an Order the Court will decide whether to make an Interim Order. The Court will also appoint a Guardian and a solicitor to represent your child in the proceedings and will also work out how to get all the evidence it needs for the Final Hearing.
The Guardian is an independent person appointed by the Court to give information and an opinion about what is best for your child. This person is from CAFCASS (Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service) and does not work for Social Services. They work for the Court to represent and act for your child.
The Court will then order evidence and reports to be filed and possibly specialist assessments and reports by Experts who are qualified in children’s needs or assisting families in parenting.
There are further Hearings following the First Hearing and the Final Hearing will be timetabled. This may take up to a maximum of 40 weeks before the case is ready for Final Hearing. Throughout this time the Local Authority should be working to support you so that your child can be returned to your care unless the risk to your child is too high.
