Children Panel Accreditation Scheme
Introduction
A huge number of legal issues involve children; most solicitors can help you with many of these.
However, you may need specialised help with public law care proceedings. The Children Panel Accreditation Scheme aims to connect you with practitioners experienced in representing children and other parties under the Children Act 1989.
Scheme members can help you with proceedings such as
- family breakdowns
- residence
- contact
- emergency protection
- adoption
- parental responsibility
- human rights
Many organisations (eg CAFCASS and the Family Courts) recommend using a member of the Children Panel Accreditation Scheme.
Only solicitors who meet the SRA's exacting accreditation requirements are permitted to join the scheme. When you see the Children Panel Accreditation Scheme logo, you'll know that the practitioner's skills, knowledge and experience have been rigorously and independently assessed.
Detailed information
There are three types of members:
- Children representatives
- Adult party representatives
- Local authority representatives
To find a Children Panel Accreditation Scheme member near you, select the type of member you need from the list below. You can also consult details of the kind of work in which the three types of members specialise.
Children representatives
- What can they do?
- How are they assessed?
- How can practitioners become children representatives?
- Find a children representative
Adult party representatives
- What can they do?
- How are they assessed?
- How can practitioners become adult party representatives?
- Find an adult party representative
Local authority representatives
- What can they do?
- How are they assessed?
- How can practitioners become local authority representatives?
Information for solicitors
Anyone who applies for membership of the Children Panel Accreditation Scheme is required to apply for an enhanced disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). We will provide you with a CRB enhanced disclosure application form and detailed instructions on how to apply. You can download our policy statements on employment of ex-offenders and assessment of character and suitability (PDF 26K) and secure storage, handling, use, retention and disposal of Criminal Records Bureau disclosures and disclosure information (PDF 26K).
If you are a solicitor or a legal executive (ie a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives, or FILEX) and are interested in becoming a scheme member, choose the type of member you'd like to become from the options above for further details.
If you are already a member, view information about maintaining membership, known as re-accreditation.
Please note that Children Panel Accreditation Scheme members who wish to change their type of membership need to follow certain procedures. If you are a scheme member and wish to transfer your membership from local authority representative to private practice (or vice versa), please download and submit a transfer of scheme membership form (PDF 25K). If you are already an adult party representative and wish to work as a children representative, please download and submit a conversion of membership to children representative form (PDF 21K).
Children Panel Accreditation Scheme members must be familiar with, and abide by, the contents of the following Law Society practice note: Representation of Children in Public Law Proceedings.
Useful links
Law Society online resources for children law practitioners include good practice guidance, newsletters, policy documents and event announcements.
The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) safeguards and promotes the welfare of children involved in family court proceedings.
The National Association of Guardian Ad Litems and Reporting Officers (NALAGRO) provides information for young children about court proceedings and the role of Children's Guardians.
Resolution—first for family law
More than 5,000 solicitors belong to Resolution—first for family law (formerly the Solicitors Family Law Association, or SFLA). Resolution members are committed to promoting a non-confrontational atmosphere in which family law matters are dealt with in a sensitive, constructive and cost-effective way.
The SRA operates a dedicated website for accreditation scheme members, providing secure access to the Children Panel Accreditation Scheme logo.
Download or order the latest version of the Family Law Protocol.
Association of Lawyers for Children (ALC)
The ALC works in England and Wales, and welcomes all applications for membership from individuals in relevant work with or for children. In addition, applications from officers of appropriate organisations will be considered. For more details, follow the link above.
Children representatives
What can children representatives do?
Children representatives act for children in all proceedings where there is provision to do so under
- the Children Act 1989
- the Adoption Act 1976
- the Adoption and Children Act 2002
Children representatives can also represent parents, grandparents and other adult parties in public law proceedings under the Children Act 1989.
Children representatives work in private practice.
How are children representatives assessed?
In order to become a children representative, you must have
- a minimum of three years of experience as a solicitor/FILEX
- attended a three-day training course run by an approved provider (PDF 18K)
- submitted an application covering all aspects of children law practice (applications are graded by independent practitioners)
- been interviewed by two assessors
- been the subject of a Criminal Records Bureau check
Every five years, you must renew your scheme membership under the re-accreditation process.
How can practitioners become children representatives?
If you are a solicitor or legal executive and are interested in becoming a children representative, please download
- the Professional accreditation schemes application criteria and guidance notes (PDF 80K),
- the Children Panel Accreditation Scheme criteria and guidance notes (PDF 62K), and
- an assessment questionnaire (PDF 55K) for private practice applicants.
Find a children representative
To find a children representative, visit Find a solicitor, the Law Society's online directory of solicitors.
To search by postcode or location for solicitors' firms with an SRA-accredited children representative, click the link below. When the search screen opens, enter your postcode or location, specify any further criteria (e.g. wheelchair access), and click Search.
Search by postcode for firms with children representatives
- Firms are listed in ascending distance order (in miles) from your specified postcode or location.
- To consult firm details, click on the name of the firm.
Local authority representatives
What can local authority representatives do?
Local authority representatives are permitted to represent local authorities in public law proceedings under the Children Act 1989.
How are local authority representatives assessed?
In order to become a local authority representatives, you must have
- a minimum of three years of experience as a solicitor/FILEX
- attended a three-day training course run by an approved provider (PDF 18K)
- submitted an application covering all aspects of children law practice (applications are graded by independent practitioners)
Every five years, you must renew your scheme membership under the re-accreditation process.
How can practitioners become local authority representatives?
If you are a solicitor or legal executive and are interested in becoming a local authority representative, please download
- the Professional accreditation schemes application criteria and guidance notes (PDF 80K),
- the Children Panel Accreditation Scheme criteria and guidance notes (PDF 62K), and
- an assessment questionnaire (PDF 51K) for local authority applicants.
Adult party representatives
What can adult party representatives do?
Adult party representatives can represent adult parties in public law proceedings under the Children Act 1989.
Adult party representatives are experienced in such cases in representing
- parents
- grandparents
- other adult parties
They also have experience in private law proceedings under the Children Act 1989 and the Adoption Act 1976.
Adult representatives work in private practice.
How are adult party representatives assessed?
In order to become an adult party representative, you must have
- a minimum of three years' experience as a solicitor/FILEX
- attended a three-day training course run by an approved provider (PDF 18K)
- submitted an application covering all aspects of children law practice (applications are graded by independent practitioners)
- been interviewed by two assessors
Every five years, you must renew your scheme membership under the re-accreditation process.
How can practitioners become adult party representatives?
If you are a solicitor or legal executive and are interested in becoming an adult party representative, please download
- the Professional accreditation schemes application criteria and guidance notes (PDF 80K),
- the Children Panel Accreditation Scheme criteria and guidance notes (PDF 62K), and
- an assessment questionnaire (PDF 55K) for private practice applicants.
Find an adult party representative
To find an adult party representative, visit Find a solicitor, the Law Society's online directory of solicitors.
To search by postcode or location for solicitors' firms with an SRA-accredited adult party representative, click the link below. When the search screen opens, enter your postcode or location, specify any further criteria (e.g. wheelchair access), and click Search.
Search by postcode for firms with adult party representatives
- Firms are listed in ascending distance order (in miles) from your specified postcode or location.
- To consult firm details, click on the name of the firm.
Re-accreditation
Scheme membership doesn't last forever. Every five years, it must be renewed. The process is called re-accreditation.
Re-accreditation is a way of assuring consumers that members of the Children Panel Accreditation Scheme continually meet the requirements for membership.
All solicitors undertake appropriate training and development activities every year, as stipulated by the SRA's continuing professional development requirements.
Information for scheme members
If you are a scheme member and you think your membership is about to expire, you don't need to do anything. We will automatically send you the forms and all of the details you need at least two months before your membership expires.
To ensure the forms reach you promptly, review your entry in Find a solicitor, and immediately advise us by email if the contact details that appear there are incorrect.