What is a PLO and what should I do if I receive a letter inviting me to a PLO meeting?
PLO stands for ‘Public Law Outline’ and is a reference to the procedure that the Local Authority must follow. If you receive an invite to a PLO meeting, you should contact a Solicitor as soon as possible. You will not have to pay for your Solicitor for their legal advice and representation as you will automatically be eligible for public funding within this process.
What is a PLO? Is this serious?
The PLO sets out the duties the Local Authorities have when considering taking a case to Court to ask for a Care Order to take a child into care or for a Supervision Order to be made. The PLO process takes place when the Local Authority is concerned about a child’s welfare and is the last opportunity for parents to engage in an open and honest manner with the professionals to make improvements to their parenting that satisfy the requirements of the Local Authority. Unless positive steps are taken to address and alleviate the concerns of the Local Authority by the parents, the Local Authority may consider making an application to the Court, seeking removal of the child(ren).
The PLO letter itself will set out a list of the concerns held by the Local Authority and will inform you of what they have tried to do to help and also what is expected of you. You may have previously been invited to Child Protection Conferences, or had an assessment undertaken of your family set up by a Social Worker. The PLO process should be considered very important as it is the last opportunity to minimise the risks of the Local Authority and prevent the Local Authority taking the matter to Court to seek removal of the children from your care. It is important to note that where a Social Worker feels that the risk of harm to a child(ren) is so great, or matters are so urgent, a decision may be made that the case should go straight to Court.
What happens at a PLO meeting? Who will attend?
The PLO meeting is attended by the Local Authority Solicitor, Team Manager, Social Worker and the parents along with their respective legal representatives. At the meeting, the Social Worker will discuss with you what they are worried about, and what the plan is going forward. During the meeting, the parents will have the opportunity to respond. The point of the meeting is to address the concerns and to attempt to minimise the concerns and prevent them from escalating further. It is also an opportunity to discuss with the Local Authority any services that can be of benefit to you.
It is likely that the Local Authority may also invite you to sign up to a ‘written agreement’ which sets out what is expected of the parents and what both the parents and the Local Authority agree to do. This can also be known as a ‘contract of expectations’. Although this is not a legally binding document, it is very important that you do not breach the agreement as there is a likelihood that the Local Authority will escalate matters to the Court.
How long does the PLO process last?
This is assessed on a case by case basis and it is not possible to say for definite how long the PLO process can last. The PLO process usually lasts for around 3 months but can be extended if there is any outstanding work and/or assessments that need to be completed. However, you should take this as an opportunity that with time, more progression from you can be evidenced. Should the matter become stagnant and it does not appear that there is any progression within the process beyond 6-9 months within the process, you should speak with your Solicitor who could raise the matter with the Local Authority’s Solicitor.
It is important that those invited to the PLO process engage with all the professionals in an open and honest manner. This is the last opportunity to engage meaningfully with the Local Authority in order to minimise the risk and the concerns of the Local Authority in the hope that matters will not be escalated to Court.
Should you receive a PLO letter and require legal advice please contact our specialist Family Law Team on 01633 213411 and one of our highly trained and experienced members of the family law team will be willing to assist.