Early Success in Speeding Up Care Proceedings
Care proceedings’ average duration drops from 50-60 weeks to 20.3 weeks
In April, three London Councils conducted a pilot scheme in relation to child proceedings. Participants have concluded that it is in fact possible to dramatically speed up the majority of care cases, including adoption, to hit the government’s target of six months.
The pilot scheme began on the 1st April 2012 by Westminster City Council, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham Council in a bid to shine the spotlight on care proceedings and speed up the family court process.
Even since the pilot scheme began back in April there are indications that the duration of care proceedings have decreased from a previous average of 50-60 weeks to just 20.3. Of course, this figure may increase slightly due to the conclusion of more complex cases. However, these numbers indicate a significant improvement for completion times of cases.
The scheme highlights a different way of working between the three local authorities, family court judges and CAFCASS, whereby social workers of the council have agreed to provide there assessments without delay and to a set standard, and judges place the child’s timescales at the heart of their decision making. The intention of the pilot is to try and achieve the government’s targets in order for children to have a permanent care plan resolved by the court as soon as possible.
Since the pilot scheme began there has been positive feedback from judges at the Inner London Family Proceedings Court, which indicate that social workers are more confident in their assessments and in some cases there are recommendations for no further assessments.
However, it has been put forward that there is still room for improvement and that social worker assessments need to be clearer in terms of the work that has taken place before family proceedings began. In particular, it has been highlighted that some social workers need to improve their description of the impact of delays on individual children and in general tighten up their written assessments.
Commenting on the progress of the pilot, Andrew Christie, tri-borough director of children’s services for Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith &Fulham, said: “It is still early days for the care proceedings pilot, but initial results show it is already having a dramatic effect in speeding up children’s care cases and forging a more common-sense approach between our three councils, CAFCASS and the family courts.”
Here at Lewis Rodgers Solicitors we offer a friendly, professional service and if any of these matters affect you directly or if you have any queries with regard to starting care proceedings please do not hesitate to contact us on 01606 861858 or alternatively email us on enquiries@lewisrodgers.co.uk.