See You in Court, Second Edition

Lynn Davis is an independent legal trainer and consultant. She has specialised in child care law since 1989, and has acted as a solicitor for local authorities, parents and children. She regularly provides legal training for professionals working with children and has taught on the law module for student social workers. She is the author of The Social Worker's Guide to Children and Families Law and A Practical Guide to Fostering Law: Fostering Regulations, Child Care Law and the Youth Justice System.

This book provides an accessible guide for social workers involved in care proceedings. It will be essential reading for ASYE social workers as it takes you through each step of the court process and answers many of the questions that newly qualified social workers have such as providing written reports and evidence for court. The section on the Public Law Outline is clear and well explained and reflects practice 'on the ground'. The risk with a book such as this is that it is seen as being relevant only to those new to the profession, however, I found it to be a useful refresher and will keep it as a reference point. This book will appeal to a broad readership that includes NQSW, students and practitioners in multi-agency settings involved in care planning and the courts.

• Acknowledgements. Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. The Legal Context. 3. Who's Who. 4. Evidence. 5. Written Evidence. 6. Statement Presentation. 7. Negotiations and Settlements. 8. Procedure - the Public Outline and Experts. 9. Preparing for Court. 10. Giving Evidence. 11. Cross-Examination. 12. After Court. Appendix 1. Brief Summary of Key Legal Provisions. Appendix 2. Statement Checklist. Appendix 3. Pre-proceedings Letter. Appendix 4. Public Law Outline Flow Chart. Appendix 5. Witness Observation Checklist. Appendix 6. Cross-examination Examples. Appendix 7. End of Case Questionnaire. Index.