Social Worker's Guide to Children and Families Law

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 See You in Court: A Social Worker's Guide to Presenting Evidence in Care Proceedings and A Practical Guide to Fostering Law: Fostering Regulations, Child Care Law and the Youth Justice System, both published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Praise for the second edition:'This book lives up to the high standards of the first edition, updated to take account of recent court judgments and the many changes to child and family legislation in England and Wales. Lynn Davis writes authoritatively and with crystal clarity. She explains the law helpfully, with direct relevance to real-life social work practice. The book is full of useful features such as key points for practice, readable summaries of court decisions, realistic and thought-provoking case studies and handy checklists. Every child and family team should have a copy in their office.'

• Acknowledgements. Preface. Introduction. Part 1: Fundamentals. 1. Human Rights. 2. Key Points in Children and Families Law. 3. Parents, Parental Responsibility and Children's Autonomy. Part 2: Private Law. 4. Section 8 Orders, Specific Issues and Prohibited Steps. 5. Arrangements for Children (Residence) and Special Guardianship Orders. 6. Arrangements for Children (Contact). Part 3: The Local Authority's Support Role. 7. Children in Need. 8. Accommodation. Part 4: Child Protection. 9. Child Protection Investigations. 10. Emergency Action. Part 5: Care Proceedings. 11. Threshold Criteria. 12. Care Proceedings - Interim Stages. 13. Care Proceedings - Care Orders and Care Plans and Contact. 14. Care Plans. 15. Adoption Fundamentals and Adoption by Consent. 16. Placement Orders, Contested Adoptions and Contact. Appendices. 1A. Children Act - Key Sections by Number. 1B. Children Act - Key Sections by Subject. 2. Residence, Special Guardianship and Adoption at a Glance. 3. Contact Aide - Memoire. 4. Care and Accommodation at a Glance. 5. Summary of Duties to Looked After Children. 6. Emergency Protection Order Aide Memoire. 7. Care and Supervision Orders at a Glance. Index.