Court Skills / Best Evidence / PLO Process

Who is it aimed at?

Qualified Social Workers in Children Services.

What are the objectives?

Day 1

  • Public Law Working Group 2021 update and PLO relaunch 2023 changes and how the Courts expect this to effect Social Work Practice both pre-proceedings, in Court Proceeding and in relation to Special Guardianship Applications.
  • Social Workers will be guided through the Pre Proceedings process, progressing from working with a family under CASP to issuing proceedings.
  • Social Workers will be given guidance on effective preparation for Legal Gateway Meetings, including preparing the synopsis and an effective risk management strategy and what evidence is required for issuing proceedings.
  • Social Workers will be guided on how to gather and prepare effective evidence progressing from purposeful evidence gathering whilst working with a family under CASP, to preparing your applications and supporting evidence for court. This will include Statements/Care Planning/Parenting Assessments/R-BS (Balancing Exercise)/Baker Criteria/S37/S7.
  • Social workers will be given guidance on the importance of triangulating information gathered to produce a strong evidenced based analysis.

Day 2

  • Social Workers will be guided through the Court process from start to finish by a team of local Barristers and the in house legal team.
  • Guidance will be given on the evidence a Social Worker will need to provide where the care plan is for a child to be removed from their parents and where the care plan is for an ICO but not removal.
  • Guidance will be given on the different roles of a barrister in each court hearing.
  • Guidance will be given on the sequence of evidence a Social Worker will need to provide at a final hearing, covering the purpose of an examination in chief and cross examination.
  • Social Workers will then have the opportunity to fully participate and observe the practical difference in relation to giving Social Work evidence at a final hearing. This will include the examination in chief by the LA Barrister to cross examination by the Barrister for the parents and the Guardian. .
  • Social Workers will have a better understanding of how evidence is used within the Court process linking in from the previous training day.

How will it make a difference?

Social Workers will acquire the skills needed to confidently manage a case through Family Proceedings, as well as building their skills and confidence with regards to providing written and oral evidence to the Court.

Delivery method:

Classroom

Duration:

2 Day

Cost:

No Cost

How to apply:

If you work for Carmarthenshire County Council (CCC) and are logged into a CCC device – PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone, complete this application form.

If you work for the Council but do NOT have access to a CCC device or an email address your line manager will need to apply on your behalf.

Council employees cannot apply for any courses from their own personal device.

Partners, agency staff or people who do not work for the Council cannot apply for this course.

The online application system will only show courses that are actively open to book a place on. If the course you are interested in isn’t listed you can register an interest with the Learning and Development team, email: learninganddevelopment@carmarthenshire.gov.uk

Find out more information on how to make and manage your application. If you need any assistance or have a query please email the Learning & Development Team.