Placements with relatives and friends: what are the implications of the 26-week timescale in care proceedings?

SARAH ROTHERA, Case Manager, Bi-Borough Care Proceedings Project

MARY RYAN, Independent consultant, Ryan Tunnard Brown

Enabling children to be brought up within their families, where this is possible and in accordance with their welfare, is an important principle of legislation (s 17 of the Children Act 1989 and Art 8 and Sch 1 to the Human Rights Act 1998) recently emphasised in Re B-S (Adoption: Application of s 47(5)) [2013] EWCA Civ 1146, [2014] 1 FLR 1035.

This article examines the impact of the new 26-week timescale in care proceedings on the identification, assessment and preparation of family and friends carers from the perspective of the two inner London local authorities involved in the Bi Borough Care Proceedings Project. It identifies changes in practice that may be needed and concludes that longer term monitoring of placements with family and friends made within the new timescales, plus greater attention to the preparation and support for relatives are essential.

The full version of this article appears in the July 2014 issue of Family Law.

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