Section 37 Report Social Services

The person who prepares the report may speak to the child depending on their age and understanding about their wishes and feelings and what they would like to happen.

Section 37 report social services. An avocet independent social worker should receive a copy of the court order outlining the work that needs to be undertaken. During the investigation the social worker conducting the investigation will need to consider. The local authority has a duty to make these enquiries under section 37 2.

What is the process. The social worker responsible for preparing the report will generally need to be present at court when the application is heard and should be prepared to give evidence in support of the information contained in the report. The emphasis is on the negative as it is assumed if a la intend to issue they will simply get on with doing so.

The social worker will speak to you and will in most cases speak to the child ren but what they say and how they talk to the children will depend on the age of the children. The information gathered during the section 37 investigation will assist in the decision making and care planning for a child determining whether a child needs to be made subject to a care or supervision order in accordance with the children act 1989 significant harm criteria. Under section 37 of the children act 1989 a court may direct a local authority to investigate a child s circumstances if it appears that a care order or supervision order would be appropriate.

Essentially when ordering section 37 report the court is asking the local authority to consider whether it should be taking further steps to protect the child. The timescale and should report its findings to the court within 8 weeks. The report will set out the child s wishes and feelings and what the cafcass officer social worker considers to be in the best interest of the child.

In most cases involving social services a guardian ad litem will be appointed to represent the child. Section 37 reports when during any private law proceedings under the children act 1989 a question arises about the welfare of the child. This report can sometimes take 14 weeks to prepare but if a judge is concerned about a child he can ask a report to be carried out sooner.