When social services receive concerns about the safety and well-being of a child, they have a legal obligation to investigate.
PLO meetings (Public Law Outline meetings) or PPM (Pre-Proceedings Meetings) are commenced by the local authority (namely the child/ren’s social worker and their legal team) when the concerns about a child/ren are so significant that Court Proceedings could be started if positive changes, which significantly decrease professional concerns, are not demonstrated within an agreed timescale.
PLO meetings are the highest-level meeting before court proceedings. Essentially the parents or carers of a child are being given a last chance to work with the local authority and demonstrate that their children can be adequately and safely cared for.
Before a PLO meeting the parents or carers will be sent a letter which makes clear that the local authority is considering taking court action. The parents are invited to a meeting to discuss the concerns outlined within the PLO letter and to agree a plan of action.
During the first PLO meeting it is usual practice for a plan to be agreed which usually involves a parenting assessment; an initial assessment of any alternative carers and disclosure from third party organisations such as the police; the child/ren’s nursery or school; health (including GP and mental health) etc
Drug and alcohol testing is also common if such concerns exist.
The PLO process usually takes between 3-6 months depending on the types of assessments being undertaken and the complexity of the issues.
At the first PLO meeting, a midway review and final review will usually be timetabled in accordance with the agreed assessments.
The endpoint of the PLO process could be that the local authority is satisfied that the care and safety of the child has sufficiently improved and other concerns have been dealt with such that the PLO meeting process can be ended. This could mean the end of social services involvement.
Alternatively, the local authority might step-down to a lower level of intervention – namely Child Protection or Child in Need.
If, however insufficient progress has been made or a child’s safety/wellbeing remains at risk, the local authority, following a legal planning meeting, could start court proceedings with a view to securing a Care or Supervision Order.
Court proceedings for Care and/or Supervision Orders are always started by the Local Authority and if therefore, there is an escalation of concerns about a child/ren during the PLO process, this could result in an application being made to the court before the PLO process has been completed.
Unlike Child Protection Meetings and Children in Need meetings a parent or carer is entitled to bring a solicitor to a PLO meeting and to receive legal advice during the meeting.
The parent or carer for the child will be entitled to free legal aid so that their solicitor can attend the meeting with them.
This legal aid is not means tested. All the parent or carer has to do is to give their solicitor the letter they will have received from the local authority inviting them to a PLO meeting and sign the necessary legal aid form.
The local authority should give the parent or carer a list of solicitors who specialise in cases involving child protection concerns and who are able to provide legal aid. We are on the list provided by Devon County Council, Torbay Council, Plymouth City Council, Somerset Council, Bristol City Council and North Somerset Council. We can also assist clients further afield subject to the practicalities. If the meeting is by video conference, then it is easy for us to attend meetings out of area.
The answer to this question is no. We have assisted parents and carers at many PLO meetings where it has been possible to avoid court proceedings.
We recognise that receiving an invitation to a PLO meeting can cause immense stress and anxiety. If you find yourself in this situation, it is crucial that you seek expert legal advice as soon as possible.
Our Care Team are child law specialists and can assist parents and carers at PLO meetings by providing expert legal advice and representation. We will help you understand the legal process and your rights, as well as help you work with your social worker to develop a strategy to address professional concerns and demonstrate the ability to provide safe and attuned care for your child/ren. Our goal is to support you and help achieve a child-focused outcome.
The other types of meeting are essentially Child Protection Conferences and Child in Need Meetings. Sometimes these might be known by slightly different names – depending upon the local authority.
Child Protection Conferences
Child Protection Conferences are where the local authority has concerns about the care of a child, but these are not yet serious enough to justify a PLO meeting.
Legal aid is not available to enable a solicitor to attend this type of meeting.
These meetings are multiagency meetings and schools, doctors, health visitors and other relevant professionals will normally be invited to attend.
As with a PLO meeting the outcome is likely to be a plan which will say how the parent will work with professionals to ensure that the care of the child is ‘good enough’. There are likely to be a series of these meetings.
Children in Need Meetings
Children in Need Meetings follow if the child has been identified as being in ‘need’ of support from the local authority. This doesn’t mean that the child/ren are in need of protection or that the parent has done anything wrong.
A child is identified as being a child in need if:
If a child is subject to a Child in Need plan, the local authority has a duty to allocate a social worker to the child/ren. As the lead professional, it is the social worker’s job to work with other agencies and the family to provide co-ordinated support.
Whilst there is no legal requirement for a Child in Need Plan to be in place, there is a general duty on local authorities to provide services to children in need.
Legal aid and Child Protection Conferences and Child in Need Meetings.
If court proceedings are started, parents and those with parental responsibility for the child/ren receive free, non-means tested and non-merits tested legal aid. This legal aid will cover the cost of their legal representation and all ancillary costs throughout the entirety of the proceedings.
For those without parental responsibility but who have a legitimate reason to be involved in the proceedings such as grandparents legal aid is available subject to means (financial) and merits testing. Merits testing means that the legal aid agency needs to be persuaded that the person seeking legal aid has a reasonable prospect of succeeding with their case or they need to be represented in the proceedings.
If there is a PLO meeting, parents and carers will also receive a free, more limited type of legal aid called Legal Help.
If there is no PLO meeting but a parent or person with parental responsibility or carer would like some advice about their interactions with social services then a different type of limited legal aid is available. This is limited to giving the parent or carer some advice and is means tested.
For those who do not qualify for legal aid, we offer alternative funding options. We provide a fixed-fee initial consultation for in-depth case discussions and advice. Additionally, we offer full court representation and a pay-as-you-go advisory service. In some cases, local authorities may cover the costs of individuals in court proceedings, even if they are not the child’s parent.
Whether you have been invited to a Public Law Outline (PLO) meeting or are facing care proceedings, our expert team of lawyers will provide you with straightforward, practical advice. We will ensure that you receive a fair hearing, and we will endeavour to reach a child-focused outcome.
