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Regrettably, some parents and family members may find themselves in dispute with Social Services about the way in which they are looking after their children.
In some cases, Social Services may even want to take their children into Local Authority care, a distressing situation for any parent or carer.
At Elliot Mather we have a team of specialists, and 6 of our solicitors in the child care team are members of the Law Society’s Children Panel Accreditation Scheme, which recognises their expertise in this area of law. Membership of the Children Panel allows them to represent both children as well as parents and other family members in Care Proceedings, and other complex Children Act proceedings.
We are in a position to fully advise you at all stages of any dispute with Social Services, from child protection conferences through to the court proceedings. We can represent you at a PLO (pre-proceedings) meeting called in respect of your children, to try and negotiate with the Local Authority and avoid care proceedings. We often deal with cases that involve contact with children in care and adoption.
We can represent you in any Court Proceedings brought by the Local Authority seeking an order for your children to be taken into care or to become subject to a Supervision Order (and in such cases legal aid is automatically available, without financial contribution, to parents of children who are the subject of Care Proceedings). All members of our team have extensive experience in dealing with complex cases dealing with issues such as:-
Neglect
Drug and alcohol misuse
Mental health issues
Domestic violence/abuse
Emotional harm
Sexual abuse
Physical abuse/alleged non-accidental injuries (broken/fractured bones and bruising)
Shaken baby syndrome/subdural and retinal hemorrhages
Developmental delay
Learning difficulty/disability
Dealing with the Official Solicitor
Child sexual exploitation, and
Cases with international elements.
Our Team
Libby Wood
LLP Member and Head of Department- Department: Child Care
- Office: Chesterfield
- Email: Libby.Wood@elliotmather.co.uk
- Phone: 01246 231288
Diane Gunn
LLP Member- Department: Child Care
- Office: Chesterfield
- Email: diane.gunn@elliotmather.co.uk
- Phone: 01246 231288
Sarah Neale
LLP Member- Department: Child Care
- Office: Mansfield
- Email: Sarah.Neale@elliotmather.co.uk
- Phone: 01623 655666
Rob Anderton
Consultant Solicitor- Department: Child Care
- Office: Mansfield
- Email: Rob.Anderton@elliotmather.co.uk
- Phone: 01623 655666
Hannah-Marie Davis
Solicitor and LLP member- Department: Child Care
- Office: Nottingham
- Email: Hannah-Marie.Davis@elliotmather.co.uk
- Phone: 0115 7043388
Natalie Potter
Senior Associate Solicitor- Department: Child Care
- Office: Derby
- Email: natalie.potter@elliotmather.co.uk
- Phone: 01332 372311
Beverly Hunka
Childcare Executive- Department: Child Care
- Office: Derby
- Email: Beverly.Hunka@elliotmather.co.uk
- Phone: 01332 372311
Rebecca Lister
Associate Solicitor- Department: Child Care
- Office: Nottingham
- Email: Rebecca.Lister@elliotmather.co.uk
- Phone: 0115 7043388
Lucy Graves
Paralegal- Department: Child Care
- Office: Chesterfield
- Email: Lucy.Graves@elliotmather.co.uk
- Phone: 01246 231288
Shannon Bird
Trainee solicitor- Department: Child Care
- Office: Mansfield
- Email: Shannon.Bird@elliotmather.co.uk
- Phone: 01623 655666
Emma Cusack
Solicitor- Department: Child Care
- Office: Mansfield / Nottingham
- Email: Emma.Cusack@elliotmather.co.uk
- Phone: 01623 655666 / 0115 7043388
Sophie Matkin
Paralegal- Department: Child Care
- Office: Nottingham
- Email: Sophie.Matkin@elliotmather.co.uk
- Phone: 0115 7043388
Emma Willis
Paralegal- Department: Child Care
- Office: Derby
- Email: Emma.Willis@elliotmather.co.uk
- Phone: 01332 372311
Kelise Dale
Paralegal- Department: Child Care
- Office: Nottingham
- Email: Kelise.Dale@elliotmather.co.uk
- Phone: 0115 7043388
Ask us a Question
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Elliot Mather LLP maintains professional indemnity insurance in accordance with the rules of the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Details of the insurers and the territorial coverage of the policy are available for inspection at our offices.
Registered Office: St. Mary's Court, St. Mary's Gate, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England, S41 7TD
VAT Number: 126 3019 03
Regulatory Notice: Elliot Mather LLP is a limited liability partnership. Partnership number OC321320.
Authorised and regulated by The Solicitors' Regulation Authority. To view code of conduct visit www.sra.org.uk/code-of-conduct.page