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Legal Help and Representation

The Guardian in Care Proceedings - FJG Solicitors Colchester Essex UKLegal Help, by way of advice and attending meetings or writing letters, is available to anybody facing problems with Social Services, and in particular will cover attendance at Child Protection Conferences or Statutory Reviews where appropriate. This is subject to the usual merits and means tests that apply to all types of Legal Help.

If Care Proceedings are started, the parents will automatically be entitled to Legal Aid, which will be free and subject to no restrictions, because of the importance of the issues. The children will also be separately represented by a solicitor under free Legal Aid.

Full Legal Aid (Legal Representation) is available also to other parties in Care Proceedings, such as Grandparents who may wish to join in the proceedings, but this is subject to the Legal Aid Means Test, which can be quite severe. Similarly, Legal Aid is also available on a Means Test basis, to parents who wish to apply after the original Care Proceedings to discharge a Care Order, or to apply for contact with a child in care.

See the section on Legal Aid for more information