Representing Parents with Learning Difficulties in Care Proceedings

Introduction

More and more parents with significant cognitive difficulties and/or diagnosed learning disabilities are finding themselves in care proceedings and at risk of their child(ren) being permanently separated from their care because they are deemed unable to learn enough to enable them to parent safely.

This virtual classroom seminar is designed to equip the lawyers working with such parents with the knowledge of how to represent them and advocate for what should be provided to them by way of support from the local authority.

What You Will Learn

This live and interactive session will cover the following:

• What the court has emphasised is important for local authorities working with such parents and the distinction between parenting with support v substituted parenting
• What the local authority should be doing to recognise the parents’ limitations and adapt to meet their needs
• What support such parents/vulnerable adults are entitled to and what is expected, including their rights under the Equality Act 2010
• The common pitfalls in the way that local authorities work with parents including the deficiencies of social worker assessments such as PAMS assessments
• What resources local authorities have available to them and what can be provided to enable such parents to care effectively for their children
• Good practice in such cases and what can be done to enable parents with difficulties to have their best chances of being able to care for their child(ren) long-term

Recording of live sessions: Soon after the Learn Live session has taken place you will be able to go back and access the recording - should you wish to revisit the material discussed.