Documents published include: guidance for Local Authorities on documentation for the courts and other parties, a flow chart of the revised PLO and pre-proceedings work and further details on the evaluation of the pilot. These documents can be accessed on the Ministry of Justice website and the ADCS website.

They documents provide a useful outline of the changes expected from practice in Local Authorities and the sector.  Our resources Evidence Matters and Analysis and Critical thinking in Assessment can provide advice and practical tips on how to produce succinct, focused and analytical court documentation and assessments.

The Children and Family Bill has now passed to the House of Lords for further consideration.  The second reading, which is the first opportunity for members of the Lords to discuss the Bill, will take place on the 2 July.

You can read the latest version of the Bill, as passed from the House of Commons, here.

The Children and Families Bill is due to have its report stage and third reading in the House of Commons on 11 June 2013.  The Bill  will reform legislation relating to adoption and children in care and the family justice system, among other areas.

A revised Public Law Outline (PLO) and a Practice Direction 36C has been published by the Judiciary.  The practice direction sets out a new pilot scheme which will enable courts in local areas to implement and assess new practices and procedures to support the 26 week time limit of proceedings. Local areas are to join the pilot between July and the 7 October 2013 at the latest.

Further information and a summary of the key changes from previous practice can be found here.

Changes include the requirement for a smaller quantity of more analytical material to be produced by the local authority on application, new directions on which documents are to be filed, the need for a more productive first hearing to be held by Day 12 and the removal of the former Case Management Conference stage.

See our resources aimed at supporting implementation of the revised PLO, including Evidence matters in Family Justice to help consolidate practice around social workers’ use of research in the family court and Analysis and Critical Thinking in Assessment supporting practitioners to be more analytical in their assessments.

We are also holding regional Train the Trainer events, to support all local authorities across England with new training needs arising from family justice changes. More info. 

The revised PLO documents have been published here and can also be accessed through the ADCS website.