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Contents

1. Purpose of Legal Planning Meetings 
2. Who can Convene Legal Planning Meetings  
3. Chairing Legal Planning Meetings  
4. Attendance at Legal Planning Meetings 
5. Timing and Duration of Legal Planning Meetings 
6. Minutes from Legal Planning Meetings 
7. Review/Subsequent Legal Planning Meetings

1.  Purpose of Legal Planning Meetings

When it is clear that the protection or welfare of a child cannot be achieved by agreement with the parents or the security of a legal order is necessary to ensure the viability of a plan for a child, a Legal Planning Meeting should be convened. Legal Planning Meetings may also be convened where it is being considered that a child should be reunited within their family.

A Legal Planning Meeting will always be held when a child is on a Care Order or a Secure Accommodation Order is being considered; and may happen when other Court Orders are being considered or a child has been Accommodated.

The purpose is to consult with and instruct the Borough Solicitors. The role of the legal representative is to advise about the legal possibilities for achieving the desired aim and to give a view about the quality of the evidence available.

If court proceeding are being considered, the following must be in place

• A Robust assessment
• An up to date Chronology
• A Plan or a clear indication that options for a plan have been considered

2.  Who can Convene Legal Planning Meetings

Applications for Emergency Protection Orders or Care Orders may only be made by Family Services; for this reason, Legal Planning Meetings are primarily meetings for Family Services. The decision to hold a Legal Planning Meeting should be made by a social worker and the line manager, or in their absence the duty team manager.

Consultation will usually be sought from a Family Support and Child Protection Adviser.

3.  Chairing Legal Planning Meetings

The following staff can chair a Legal Planning Meeting:

• Head of Service
• Principal Family Support and Child Protection Adviser
• Family Support and Child Protection Adviser
• Team Manager

4.  Attendance at Legal Planning Meetings

The following can be invited to attend a Legal Planning Meeting: Social Worker; Team Manager; Family Support and Child Protection Adviser; Any other professional who has first hand evidence and may be a potential witness;  Those who may be involved in the provision of services integral to the order being sought.  Where a decision is to be made about initiating procedures a Head of Service must attend as the accountable Head of Service.

5.  Timing and Duration of Legal Planning Meetings

The timing of a Legal Planning Meeting is likely to be determined by the urgency of court proceedings and the need to allow sufficient time for necessary preparation.

6.  Minutes from Legal Planning Meetings

The decision of a Legal Planning Meeting should be recorded, signed by the Chairperson and circulated to everyone who attended the meeting.

7.  Review/Subsequent Legal Planning Meetings

The meeting should consider whether further Legal Planning Meetings are necessary and if so, when. It may be that new information emerges which requires a change of plan for the child. It is likely that a Legal Planning Meeting will need to be reconvened in order to consider the implications for the legal plan.

End