Public Law Children: Care Proceedings and Adoption

Our specialist public law care barristers are well-known experts in providing advice and advocacy in public law children proceedings for all parties including parents, children, wider family members (grandparents/aunts/uncles) guardians, local authorities, and government bodies such as CAFCASS and the Official Solicitor. Our Members of Chambers are readily available to deal with short-notice applications for emergency relief and injunctions to protect those concerned. The team regularly appear in the Family Courts, High Court and Appellate Courts.

The group has extensive experience of proceedings involving the following:

  • Care & Supervision Orders (from Emergency Protection Orders (EPOs) to interim applications, fact finding and final hearings)
  • Cases concerning serious allegations of abuse (Fabricated Induced Illness (FII), non-accidental injury (including shaken baby and multiple fractures and/or serious head injury), sexual misconduct/abuse, emotional abuse and chronic neglect and domestic abuse.
  • Contact applications involving children in care
  • Emergency applications and injunction relief
  • Public Interest Immunity and disclosure
  • Secure Accommodation and Deprivation of Liberty
  • Wardship
  • Complex medical issues (for example, declarations on the treatment of adults under disability, life support cases, sterilisation, non-therapeutic surgery and the treatment of children)
  • Vulnerable adults and Protected Parties
  • Murder or/alleged or attempted murder by a parent or sibling
  • Cases involving issues relating to education
  • Adoption and international adoption
  • Special Guardianship
  • Judicial Review

Chambers makes every effort to ensure consistency of Counsel throughout these most difficult and emotional proceedings. We work closely with our clients and solicitors to obtain the best possible outcome for both child and parent. We are fully committed to representation under legal aid schemes at all levels of seniority.

The team also has a range of domestic and international experience in adoption proceedings under the Adoption and Children Act 2002. Our members are often called upon to advise adopters in the context of the Human Rights Act and with our expertise and knowledge consider this one of our strengths.

If you need any assistance in any of these areas, please contact our clerking team on 023 80 73 6812 or e-mail clerks@no18chambers.com

Barristers practicing in this area Children’s Arbitration & Resolution

Public Law Children: Care Proceedings and Adoption barristers

What others say


No.18 Barristers Chambers reports an uptick in complex private law children work regarding care, placement and adoption proceedings. Matrimonial finance is another core area of expertise.
Legal 500

Chambers key strengths include matrimonial finance and public and private law children work. Care, placement and adoption proceedings are main areas of instruction for the set
Legal 500