What is Legal Aid?
Legal Aid is funding that covers legal costs and is available to parents, and those with parental responsibility, for a child who is involved in care proceedings. Depending on which level of involvement you have with social services, there are different levels of legal help available to you. Find out what legal help or legal aid you can claim:
PLO (Pre-Proceedings) Meeting and Care Proceedings in Court
This Legal Aid is available regardless of a parent’s financial means and without any contribution payable.
Legal Aid is sometimes available to other persons involved in Care Proceedings, such as other family members or carers and those who have been invited to intervene in the care proceedings to defend against allegations made. This Legal Aid is usually subject to a financial means and merits test.
Social Services Investigations and Child Protection Conferences
Legal Help is provided by the Legal Aid Agency in some circumstances, subject to a means test. We are happy to have an initial discussion with you free of charge to discuss how we may able to help.
Domestic Abuse
Legal Aid is available for domestic abuse injunctions. It is also available in some private children matters where there is evidence of domestic abuse.
Why choose Banner Jones Family Law Solicitors?
Several of our care solicitors are on the Law Society's Children Panel. Only solicitors who meet the Law Society’s exacting accreditation requirements are permitted to join the Children Panel and represent children in public law care proceedings.
Our experts in public law care proceedings can provide you with support and guidance throughout the care proceeding's process. We are specialists in cases involving non-accidental injury and child neglect.
How to Make a Will
Making a Will is commonly associated as something you do in later life however, in reality anyone over the age of 18 can have a Will and we would strongly recommend it to anyone with children.
Are Pre-Nups Binding?
Just how binding are Pre-nuptial Agreements in the British Courts? Well a recent ruling of the High Court on a French ‘pre-nuptial agreement’ pretty much spells it out.
What Happens if I Don't Have a Will?
What’s the worst that could happen if you don’t have a Will? Our expert Wills solicitors have explain what can happen, in simple terms, in our guide.
What counts as Evidence that Children are at Risk?
The Legal Aid Authority will accept the following evidence of children being at risk of abuse outlined in our PDF article.
What Counts as Domestic Violence?
The Legal Aid Authority will accept the following evidence as domestic violence outlined in our PDF article.
Care Proceedings Explained
To find out more about Care Proceedings and how they work, read the article.
Children & Separation Guide
Getting through a divorce or separation is hard at the best of times but is often even harder when there are children involved in the relationship. Use our helpful guide for tips on explaining the situation to the children.
Divorce Survival Tips
We’ve enlisted the help of some local relationship counsellors in Sheffield to provide you with some survival advice to help get you through a divorce.