10 June 2024
What You Need To Know About - Care Proceedings
In Part 1 of our 3 Article Series, Childcare Solicitor Sydnee Marsh walks you through the types of orders involved in care proceedings...
Interim Care Order (ICO)
The Court can only make an ICO if it has good reason to believe that the child has been seriously harmed or is likely to be seriously harmed and that making an ICO is the best thing for the child.
The Social Services department should, if they wish the Court to make an ICO, prepare what is known as an Interim Care Plan. This plan would have the details of who the child would be living with (i.e. family member or a foster carer) and what arrangements have been made for contact.
An ICO means that the Local Authority will share parental responsibility with the parents.
If an ICO is made, it will give the Local Authority power to decide where the child shall live even if the parents do not agree.
Interim Supervision Order (ISO)
The Court can only make an ISO if it has good reason to believe that the child has suffered significant harm or is likely to suffer significant harm, as a result of the parenting the child has been given, or that the child is beyond parental control and that making an ISO is the best thing for the child.
An ISO does not give the Local Authority parental responsibility.
An ISO means that the Social Services department would be involved with the child and how the child is being cared for. This places a duty on the Local Authority to ‘advise, assist and befriend’ the child.
Child Arrangements Order (CAO)
In care cases, the Court will consider making a CAO to place a child into the care of a parent or close relative (such as grandparents, aunts, or uncles) allowing them to care for the child during the period of the Order.
A CAO will mean that parental responsibility is shared with the person who has the Child Arrangements Order.
