Acting for Parents & Carers in Care Proceedings with Claire Wills-Goldingham KC

Introduction

Representing parents and carers in public law proceedings can produce unique issues. The allegations made against them can be wide ranging but this in-person course will look at specific matters.

• Traumatic injuries to a child including abusive head trauma, long cone fractures and how to approach possible medical causes - what you need to be aware of and possible pitfalls
• What and how to adapt where parent/carer degree of learning disability/fragility of mental health - how does this impact on trial preparation and presentation
• Child witnesses - tactics - do you really need to cross examine them and if so how to deal with this
• Your client’s evidence - what is required and what can go terribly wrong

What You Will Learn

This course will cover the following:

• How to approach parent/carer where allegations of traumatic injury to a child
• Abusive head trauma
• Long bone fractures
• Possible medical explanation
• How to adapt where a parent/carer has a degree of learning disability/fragility of mental health
• R3AA and PD3A - impact and participation directions
• Child witnesses - when they are required and how to approach - a practical guide
• Pros and cons
• Advocate’s toolkit - relevance and impact for those representing a parent or carer accused/in the pool of possible perpetrators
• Be careful what you wish for - when you can ask for too much
• Tactical preparation
• When to seek disclosure and what
• How to deal with evidence contrary to your case
• Witnesses - why do you need them?
• Who has the evidential burden - LA but sometimes a parent against carer
• Is live evidence always required - practical tips on how to deal with adverse witnesses
• Overriding objective and pressure on courts and length of trials
• Then you call your client - what could possibly go wrong?