Legal Learning Session: The Public Law Outline: using pre-proceedings effectively

The recommendations of the Public Law Working Group (PLWG) - established to address concerns about the impact of proceedings on the growing number of families involved, as well as increasing workload pressures on social workers, lawyers and judges – include best practice guidance and proposed legal changes to shift the emphasis away from court orders. This legal learning workshop will outline the key aspects of the PLO pre proceedings steps and timescales in light of the PLWG recommendations

Learning outcomes:

• Understand when to enter the PLO pre proceedings process
• Understand how the PLO pre proceedings steps can result in changes without the need to go to court
• Understand how the PLO pre proceedings steps can support care proceedings applications, and the statutory timescales

Shefali Shah, director of Kingsley Knight Training, specialist in legal and social care training