Please Do Not Ignore This Letter Take It to a Solicitor Now

Name

Address

Date

PLEASE DO NOT IGNORE THIS LETTER

TAKE IT TO A SOLICITOR NOW

Dear,

RE: Brighton & Hove City Council’s CONCERNS ABOUT– (Names of children)

LETTER BEFORE PROCEEDINGS

I am writing to let you know how concerned Brighton & Hove City Councilhave become about your care of xxxxxx. I am writing to tell you that Brighton & Hove City Council will be starting Care Proceedings in respect ofXXXX. This means that we will apply to Court andxxxxx could, if the Court decides that this is best for him/her/them, be taken into care.

We have set out in this letter the concerns that we have about xxxxx, and the things that have been done to try to help your family.

AN IMPORTANT MEETING ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT

(Decision to be made at Legal Planning Meeting, whether meeting required or not)

Please come to a meeting with us to talk about these concerns onXXXXX at xxxxxxx. There is a map with this letter to help you find the venue. Please contact your child/ren’s social worker, XXXXX on xxxx to tell us if you will come to the meeting.

Or

If you would like to meet with us, to discuss the local authority’s plans, please let your child’’s/ren’s social worker, or your solicitor know.

PLEASE BRING A SOLICITOR TO THE MEETING ON xxxx

Take this letter to a solicitor and ask them to come to the meeting with you. The solicitor will advise you about getting legal aid (free legal advice). We have sent with this letter a list of local solicitors who work with children and families. They are all separate from children’s services. You do not have to bring a solicitor to the meeting, but it will be helpful if you do. It may be helpful if you also share copies of social worker reports and child protection conference minutes with your solicitor.

Information your Solicitor will need is:

Local Authority Legal Contact:

Name, Address and Telephone: Brighton & HoveCity Council Legal Services,

Please provide your solicitor with a copy of this letter and the enclosed document which sets out our concerns.

YOUR WIDER FAMILY

Our concerns aboutxxxxx are very serious. If the Court decides you cannot care for your child/ren, we will first try and place him/her/them with one of your relatives, if it is best for your child/ren to do this. At the meeting we will want to talk to you and your solicitor about who might look after your child/ren if the Court decides that it is no longer safe for you to do so.

We look forward to seeing you at the meeting with your solicitor onXXXX If you do not understand any part of this letter, please contact your child’s/ren’s social workerXXXXon xxxx. Please tell your social worker if you need any help with child care or transport arrangements in order to come to this meeting, and we will try to help.

Yours Sincerely

Team Manager

ccSocial Worker

Line Manager

Local Authority in-house Legal Team

IRO

Encl. Map of Office

List of Law Society Children Panel Solicitors

List of things we are worried about

PLEASE SHOW/TAKE THIS TO YOUR SOLICITOR

HERE ARE THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT:

(Set out brief overview of concerns, duration, time on Child in Need plan, Child Protection plan and impact on the child/ren)

.

WHAT CHILDREN’S SERVICES HAVE DONE TO TRY AND HELP:

(Set out specific services/interventions/names of agencies that have been involved)

WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO:

(Set out clear expectations about assessments, Family Group Conference, specific interventions, eg domestic violence/drug alcohol programme/mental health/parenting/therapeutic, residence, eg S20 to mother and baby foster placement.)

1. Confirm that you will come to a meeting to talk about these concerns. Please try to bring a solicitor with you.

1. Continue to see and work with your child/ren’s social worker XXXX and allow her/him to see XXXX

.