Now fully updated and with up-to-the-minute guidance, this is the only book you will need to make sense of the key elements of law involved in social work with children and families in England and Wales.Accessible and jargon-free, this everyday reference explains the fundamental concepts of parental responsibility and human rights, and the provisions of private and public law, including care proceedings and adoption. This second edition incorporates recent changes including the Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance for inter-agency working, the Children and Families Act 2014 and the Crime and Courts Act 2013 as well as the latest case law. Checklists, charts and highlighted points allow for easy reference, and illustrative case scenarios put the law into context.This comprehensive and easy-to-use guide will be an invaluable resource for practising social workers, as well as trainees, students and those studying for post-qualifying awards.

Acknowledgements. Preface. Introduction. Part 1: Fundamentals. 1. Human Rights. 2. Key Points in Children and Families Law. 3. Parents, Parental Responsibility and Children's Autonomy. Part 2: Private Law. 4. Section 8 Orders, Specific Issues and Prohibited Steps. 5. Arrangements for Children (Residence) and Special Guardianship Orders. 6. Arrangements for Children (Contact). Part 3: The Local Authority's Support Role. 7. Children in Need. 8. Accommodation. Part 4: Child Protection. 9. Child Protection Investigations. 10. Emergency Action. Part 5: Care Proceedings. 11. Threshold Criteria. 12. Care Proceedings - Interim Stages. 13. Care Proceedings - Care Orders and Care Plans and Contact. 14. Care Plans. 15. Adoption Fundamentals and Adoption by Consent. 16. Placement Orders, Contested Adoptions and Contact. Appendices. 1A. Children Act - Key Sections by Number. 1B. Children Act - Key Sections by Subject. 2. Residence, Special Guardianship and Adoption at a Glance. 3. Contact Aide - Memoire. 4. Care and Accommodation at a Glance. 5. Summary of Duties to Looked After Children. 6. Emergency Protection Order Aide Memoire. 7. Care and Supervision Orders at a Glance. Index.