Brandon
Bury St Edmunds
Norwich
Thetford
Get in Touch with Rudlings Solicitors
Whether you need expert legal advice or have a question about our services, our team at Rudlings Solicitors is here to help. With offices in Brandon, Norwich, Thetford and Bury St Edmunds. We provide professional and approachable legal support tailored to your needs. Contact us today through our online form, and we’ll be happy to assist you.
Child Care solicitors
Protecting your child's future with compassionate legal advice
Nothing is more important than your children; we understand that. Navigating legal matters involving children and young people can be particularly sensitive. Our attentive children's law solicitors offer expert guidance and put your children first, every step of the way.
We treat your children and family with dignity and respect, protecting their rights and wellbeing, and ensuring their voices are heard throughout the entire process.
In tune with your family's needs
You may be going through a residence dispute, beginning adoption proceedings, liaising with social services, or facing another highly emotional situation; whatever you and your family are experiencing, we’re here to listen and provide clear, straightforward guidance.
Our children's law solicitors have extensive experience in both public and private law, and are all accredited members of the Law Society's Children's Panel and Resolution. With their help and child law advice, you can make informed decisions to bring about stability while also having your children’s best interests at heart.
In public law cases, we work closely with guardians from CAFCASS (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service). Alternatively, if we're not representing the child, we will support parents through proceedings.
Key contacts
Partner. Head of Department. Solicitor
Solicitor
Paralegal
How Rudlings can advise on children's law issues
At Rudlings, we're proud to have one of the most experienced children's law teams in the East of England. Our children's law solicitors have specific expertise in:
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Child arrangement orders
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Parental responsibility
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Adoption and special guardianship orders
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Care proceedings
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Fostering
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International child abduction
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Forced marriage protection orders
Child arrangement orders
Divorce and separation are already stressful situations. Disagreements with an ex-partner about where your children should live and how often they spend time with each parent can add to the emotional upheaval – and that's where child arrangement orders (formerly residence orders) can help.
Our family law solicitors offer legal aid which prioritises children’s wellbeing and fosters positive relationships with parents and extended family members. While we encourage mediation and collaborative approaches, we can also help you apply for child arrangements orders (CAO) to organise residence and contact arrangements, and represent you in family court if necessary.
We also provide information on financial support, child maintenance, and whether you can qualify for Public Funding money (formerly Legal Aid) to support your case.
Prohibited steps order
Prohibited steps orders (PSO) can prevent a parent from making certain decisions about a child without court approval. For instance, taking a child abroad, changing schools, or making medical decisions. Since these are typically urgent in nature, you can be assured that we'll take immediate action to secure the court order you need.
Roundtable meetings
We offer roundtable meetings as an effective, cost-efficient alternative to litigation. If both parties are willing to engage in discussions, we facilitate structured conversations to resolve disputes without the need for lengthy and costly court proceedings.
Parental responsibility
Whether you're a birth parent or an adoptive parent, you need to understand your legal position and parental responsibility. We can assist parents and family members by explaining your rights and obligations in plain English, allowing you to make empowered, informed decisions about your child’s upbringing, health, and education.
Adoption and special guardianship orders
Adopting a child of any age is a life-changing decision, full of hope, anticipation, and legal complexity. Whether you’re adopting through an agency or local authority, or as a step-parent or relative, our family lawyers can guide you through the entire legal process – from early-stage consultations to court applications and adoption orders.
We’re also experts in special guardianship orders (SGO) and can assist with applications to provide long-term care and security for young people by placing them with extended family members.
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Local authorities and care proceedings
We understand the stress and uncertainty faced by families when a local authority believes a child has suffered or is at risk of significant harm. This may be due to:
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Neglect. Failure to ensure children have their basic needs met, such as access to food, shelter, clothes, or medical treatment.
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Physical abuse. Inflicting physical harm on a young person.
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Emotional abuse. Causing emotional harm to a child, through threats, constant criticism, or as witnesses to domestic violence.
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Sexual abuse. Any sexual activity with a child of any age.
Whatever child protection issues you're going through as a family, we listen to your needs, prioritise your child’s wellbeing and support your family through this sensitive and complex process.
We work with social services to ensure your child’s welfare and rights are protected every step of the way and represent you in court when the time comes. From the start, we're on your side.
Fostering
When a child can’t safely remain with their family, fostering can play a key role in care proceedings and children's services.
We advise on foster care arrangements, including contact between young people and their families. Our family lawyers also represent families who decide to go through the assessment process to become short-term, long-term, or specialist foster carers themselves.
International child abduction
Child abduction is an understandably complex and distressing situation. Our family team provides urgent legal support and expert advice to help you secure the return of your child should the worst happen.
Forced marriage protection orders
Our child law experts advise on orders to prevent forced marriages from taking place, whether by preventing a young person from being taken abroad for the purpose of marriage or preventing the marriage itself to ensure your child's welfare, safety, and freedom.
Empathic child law advice from our legal experts
Find Rudlings’ offices across East Anglia in Norwich, Brandon, Thetford, and Bury St Edmunds. Although based in Norfolk and Suffolk, our reach extends across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, Rutland, Suffolk, Essex, and beyond.
Emotions can run high with children involved; whatever your family’s situation, our children’s care team will provide constructive advice and legal services to help you and your loved ones.
Speak to a family law expert to book your first appointment.
