The 2020 report on child abuse statistics released by the UK Office for National Statistics revealed that one in every 100 adults experience at least one form of child abuse in their lifetime. When presented this way, it seems like it only concerns a small number of people. But if you consider the country's entire population, one in every 100 adults translates to about 8.5 million people. If you can save all these kids from any form of abuse, you also get to change the lives of these 8.5 million people.
One of the fastest ways to save a child from clear and present danger in their home is by applying for a child protection order. This order is necessary when issues about the child's safety and welfare have been raised. The party tasked to apply on behalf of the guardian seeking refuge for the child are the local authorities. They can file a petition to the court for the latter to issue an interim supervision order (ISO), interim care order (ICO), or emergency protection order (EPO). All these are forms of child protection orders.
What happens after the application for issuance of a child protection order is launched?
While more and more people believe that proceedings of this nature were intently designed to take the child out of his home, this is not necessarily true. The order generally varies depending on the situation. If the court is convinced that the child is unsafe in his house, the former will order the latter's removal from said environment. However, if the court sees that he will only be safe if he stays at home, the former will also order that he stays there and prohibit anyone who can cause him harm from coming near him. The order can even dictate to keep the child in a treatment facility if that would be in his best interest.
Both the parties to the case and the court will want to know more about the child's present circumstances. This can be achieved through a series of assessments carried out by neutral parties instructed to study and report on the case. All the parties, including the parents, carers, guardians, and social services, will be given a chance to share their side of the story and confront the pieces of evidence presented in court. Their testimonies are essential to shed light on the proceeding as the court finds the best course of action to promote the child's welfare.
Read More: Tips for Taking Care of Children When You're Recovering From an InjuryWhat issues will be raised during the hearing?
The proceedings will tackle every kind of abuse the child may have experienced, including domestic violence, physical injury, harm, neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse. It's necessary to tackle all these issues to justify why the child needs to move to a different home or why a guardian/parent should be stripped of his legal authority to take care of the child.
Securing a child protection order is a long and challenging process. The party alleging the abuse needs to provide sound and convincing evidence to justify the court's decision of granting the order. Most of the time, the child needs to recount and share the abuses that she went through. This can be traumatizing for both the child and the parent/guardian seeking custody.
For this reason, you need to work with a seasoned solicitor who can tackle the case on your behalf. They are not only skilled to persuade the court to rule in their client's favor, but they are also experts in handling the stresses and frustrations that come along with the process. So save your family from any more burden by talking to an expert now.
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