Services for Individuals -
Children Department
“The advice of committed, understanding experts is invaluable in this specialised field”
Introduction
The law relating to children is very specialised and constantly developing and changing. Russell-Cooke is unusual in having five very experienced solicitors who work exclusively in this area of the law.
The department advises and acts for children (through their court-appointed Children's Guardian), and for parents and for other relatives in a wide range of proceedings relating to the care and welfare of children including:
- care proceedings, where Local Authority Social Services Departments are applying for orders enabling them to remove children from their parents' care
- applications for discharge of care orders
- proceedings concerning the residence of children with one or other parent or with other relatives
- issues of contact between children and their parent(s) and between children and other adults significant to the child
- adoption and fostering of children
We also organise training courses for Children's Guardians and other child care professionals. These are attended by leading childcare experts.
This department also has lawyers who undertake work relating to the residence of and contact with children, and cases involving child abduction.
Civil Partnership
The Civil Partnership Act has made some changes to the Children Act to enable civil partners to acquire parental responsibility in respect of the children of the other partner. Under the Adoption and Children Act which came into force at the end of Decmber 05, those who have registered a Civil Partnership are eligible to adopt as a couple. Please contact one of the team for more information. Click here to go to the Civil Partnership page.
» Go to Divorce & Family Matters section
People
The Childcare department is based in Kingston and headed by Russell-Cooke partner Samantha Little.
The team are all experienced and well-regarded childcare lawyers, and most are members of the Law Society's specialist Children Panel of solicitors.
Tel: 020 8546 6111
Click on a name below to bring up a biography:
» Request our departmental brochure
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