Social workers given new guidance for section 20 arrangements amid ‘misuse and abuse’

[Alison J Stevens]

http://www.communitycare.co.uk/2015/11/10/social-workers-given-new-...

I have advised PAIN Service Users that if they sign a section 20 Order they are putting their Children into Voluntary Care and at this stage Legal Aid cannot be granted,

Local Authority's can sit on this Order for quite a few weeks, preventing you from applying for Legal Aid.

The big issue would be if Parents refuse to sign a section 20 Order Social Services in a lot of Cases would go for an Emergency Protection Order.

Social Workers will not tell you that you have the right to try and discharge the Order within 72 hours.

If Social Workers mentions EPO, you need to act very quickly.

One of our Solicitors have been very successful in blocking and preventing an Emergency Protection Order in the first instance.

NEVER AGREE TO SIGN A SECTION ORDER, WITHOUT FIRST GETTING LEGAL ADVICE, BUT I WOULD SAY NEVER EVER AGREE TO SIGN THIS ORDER, EVEN UNDER DURESS .