Social Services are under a duty to promote contact, including paying for
transport for parents, and other help, throughout the Court Process. Sometimes
the arrangements for contact are inadequate, and the Court can be asked to make
a specific ruling about it. The sad fact is that the number of foster carers is
not great in some areas, and children may be placed many miles from their
parents during the Court Proceedings, so that contact is difficult to arrange.
It may also be that this is a testing process to see if the parents can meet the
commitment expected of them. All of this is the subject of detailed negotiation
and needs legal help.
The Final Care Plan, if it involves adoption, or some other long-term
placement outside the family may include a plan for contact to be severely
restricted. Social Services are under a duty to promote contact unless an Order
is made by the Court releasing them from this duty. This may be the subject of a
specific application to the Court.