If you have been invited to a Public Law Outline (PLO) meeting, you may be wondering whether you need a lawyer. The short answer is yes—it is highly recommended that you have a solicitor present. A PLO meeting is a crucial stage in child protection proceedings, and the decisions made here can have a significant impact on your family’s future.
What is a PLO Meeting?
A PLO meeting, also referred to as a Pre-Proceedings Meeting, is arranged by the Local Authority when social services have serious concerns about a child’s welfare. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss these concerns with the parents and their legal representatives.
Do I need a family lawyer for a PLO meeting?
The PLO Meeting is attended by a Local Authority solicitor, but the parents are also invited to come along with their own solicitor to see if any agreement can be reached or negotiated with the Social Services department to prevent the matter going to Court. It is often possible to reach agreement about what needs to happen to protect the child from harm so that Court proceedings and orders are avoided. If the concerns are so great and there can be no protective plan put in place, the Court proceedings will be started and the PLO Meeting will be used to advise the parents of this. There will be some cases where the meetings do not take place because the risk of harm to the child is so great or is so urgent that there is no PLO Meeting.
Why can a family lawyer be important at a PLO meeting?
A family lawyer plays a crucial role in advising you on your legal rights and responsibilities, as well as negotiating on your behalf. Having legal representation can help ensure that any agreements reached are fair and protect your interests. If you attend without a solicitor, you may not fully understand the legal implications of the discussions and agreements made during the meeting.
Your lawyer will:
- Explain the concerns raised by social services and what they mean for your family.
- Advise you on the best course of action to avoid court proceedings.
- Help negotiate an agreement with the Local Authority.
- Ensure that your rights and interests are protected.
What will happen at a Review Public Law Outline meeting?
The purpose of a Review PLO Meeting is for the local authority to confirm any further updates, and for the parties to discuss any improvements and/or progress that has been made. Essentially, there are 3 possible outcomes of the Review PLO Meeting:
- The Local Authority are content that their concerns have been addressed and improved to a point that they are satisfied the PLO process is no longer necessary and can move back down to the ‘Child Protection level’. This removes the risk of immediate court applications being made unless something serious happens.
- If it’s not the first PLO Meeting it will be determined whether any Written Agreement should be continued or amended in light of any updates since the first PLO Meeting, and a further Review PLO Meeting will be listed.
- The Local Authority do not consider the situation has improved enough over the PLO process and will therefore look to take the matter to court for care proceedings to remove the children from the parents.
What if I can’t afford a family lawyer?
If you are a parent or have parental responsibility and receive a PLO letter, you are entitled to legal aid. This means that you can get free legal representation regardless of your financial situation. Legal aid is automatically granted in PLO cases, so there is no reason to attend the meeting without legal support. If the Local Authority have called a PLO Meeting they will wish you to have legal representation at the hearing to try and avoid the Court action.
Seek urgent legal advice
If you receive a letter inviting you to a PLO Meeting it is vital that you seek urgent legal advice. If you are a parent or person with parental responsibility you will be entitled to legal aid and will have representation at that meeting for free.
A PLO meeting is a critical step in child protection proceedings, and the decisions made here can have lasting consequences. Having legal representation ensures that you fully understand the process and have the best chance of reaching an agreement that is in the best interests of your family.
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