Abolition of court fees in care proceedings deferred until April 2011

[Alison J Stevens]

Abolition of court fees in care proceedings deferred until April 2011

Directors of Children’s Services welcome abolition but are disappointed by delay

Francis Plowden has recommended that the fees paid by local authorities when
bringing child care proceedings should be abolished. However, the
Justice Secretary, Jack Straw, has announced that the abolition will
not be implemented until April 2011 alongside the next three-year
funding settlement for English local authorities.

Francis Plowden's review was requested by the Justice Secretary following a
recommendation in Lord Laming's report on the protection of children in
England. The review used a combination of data analysis, interviews
with national organisations with an interest in child safeguarding, and
visits to local authorities across England and Wales. Plowden concluded
that the costs of bringing proceedings, including the court fees, could
deter local authorities from bringing proceedings.

Community Care reports Kim Bromley-Derry, president of the Association of
Directors of Children's Services, as saying that the news was
"fantastic" for children's services departments "struggling with
shrinking budgets". But he was disappointed that Plowden's
recommendation to abolish the fees next month had not been accepted,
"given the current cost pressures on local authorities".value court fees

[Alison J Stevens]

It is good news that the Justice Ministry have deferred the clause of Local Authority's not having to pay a £4000 fee to instigate care proceedings until 2011, i will be setting up a petition to campaign for this cause over the next few days, prior to April 1st 2008, the amount paid to instigate the former was £150,and was then changed in a revised fee.
We all thought that this could deter Social Services from instigating fewer proceedings via the family courts, but this just didn't happen,and last year the former instigated a record all time high, due to the events within Haringey.
I am sure the Justice Ministry's wishes will be granted,and there will be a free for all baby snatching campaign, which is already in progress, only to get worse.