This website supports professionals working in family court to understand and implement changes in practice required to meet the statutory requirements, particularly focusing on the Court Orders and Pre-Proceedings Guidance 2014 and the requirements of the Public Law Outline.

The resources are designed to build skills and knowledge for: children’s social workers; guardians; IROs; local authority legal teams and key local authority partners. It will be useful for those who are newer to their roles, but also for others as a refresher on the new requirements.

The materials focus on the work social workers do with families, legal teams and in the family court.  The resources were reviewed in 2017 to include resources on section 20 accommodation and Special Guardianship Orders.

The materials are structured around the child’s journey – from:

• initial identification of safeguarding concerns for a child or young person
• pre-proceedings work with children and families
• producing analytical, evidence-informed assessments and
• making an application to court.

The resources include:

• summaries of the statutory requirements, highlighting key issues for practice
• videos in which social workers, young people, legal representatives, members or the judiciary, and policy leaders outline share good practice
• links to key resources from practice and research
• tools for testing knowledge.

This guidance applies to England. Separate guidance is issued in Wales.