Removal of Children by Social Services – What Do I do?

We strongly advise you to contact Kings Solicitors immediately, at any time, if social services contact you in relation to any aspect of the care of your children. We are one of the region’s leading law firms and have unrivalled expertise in advising parents or carers where social services allege non-accidental injury to a child, neglect, or abuse.

Social services may become involved because of:

• Referral by a GP, doctor, or nurse at hospital because of a non-accidental injury e.g., broken bones; swelling to head; or burns; failure to seek treatment; broken ribs; bruising; sexual assault etc;
• A disclosure made by your child to a teacher at school;
• Removal at birth because you or your partner are assessed as high risk;
• You have had previous children taken into care;
• Allegations of sexual abuse or convictions, neglect or poor parenting;
• Allegations of neglect or poor parenting;
• Inability to parent because you were in care;
• Domestic violence between you and your partner;
• Death of a child in your care;
• Allegations of failure to protect;
• Social services want to undertake a pre-birth assessment;
• Allegations of failure to seek medical and dental care;
• Allegations of not taking the child to see a doctor when they need to go;
• Allegations of not giving the child enough to eat or drink;
• Allegations of not ensuring the child attends school;
• Allegations of not keeping the child clean;
• Physical abuse which is inflicting pain or injury to a child;
• Giving a child harmful substance, such as drugs, alcohol or poison;
• Sexual abuse when a child takes part in any kind of sexual activity;
• Sexual abuse, when a child is pressured, forced or tricked into taking part in any kind of sexual activity;
• Emotional abuse; and
• Witnessing domestic abuse between parents.

Contact us immediately at any time if social services:

• Are removing your children on a Police Protection Order (PPO), an Emergency Protection Order (EPO) or Interim Care Order (ICO);
• Are refusing to allow you to take your newborn child home from hospital;
• Want to undertake a pre-birth assessment;
• Have given you a PLO letter;
• Have asked you to attend a Child Protection conference;
• Have placed or threatened to place your children on the at-Risk Register;
• Have asked you to attend Court as an intervener in Care Proceedings;
• Want you to sign a s.20 agreement for the placement of children with foster carers or family;

If the police want to interview you about any allegation related to your children, speak to us first in confidence before agreeing to be interviewed. We provide free 24-hour expert advice and attendance at the police station.