Section 47 Assessment Support

Child protection is a priority we all share. Section 47 assessments are essential tools for identifying risk and keeping children safe. However, for these assessments to be truly effective, they must be conducted with the procedural fairness and evidentiary rigor that the law demands.

Protecting the integrity of assessments.

The "Haringey Principles": 

Using the landmark High Court ruling in AB & Anor v Haringey [2013], we assist parents in ensuring that their assessment remains proportionate, evidence-based, and transparent. We help you navigate the "Haringey Gap"—the distance between what is required by law and what sometimes happens in high-pressure investigations.

Our Support

  • The Threshold Audit: We help you identify if the investigation meets the "Reasonable Cause" threshold. Differentiating between factual evidence of harm and unverified hearsay or malicious referrals.

  • Procedural Compliance: We help you ensure the Local Authority follows statutory guidance (Working Together to Safeguard Children). This includes challenging "secret" third-party contacts and ensuring you are consulted as a parent.

  • Protection for the "Challenging" Parent: The law is clear: exercising your legal rights or filing a formal complaint is not "lack of cooperation." We support you to maintain a robust, professional defence without it being mischaracterised as "erratic" or "emotional harm."

  • Evidence & Subject Access Requests (SAR): We guide you through the process of auditing the Local Authority's own records to ensure decision-making is contemporaneous and accurate.

  • Meeting Mastery: I can sit alongside you in strategy meetings and visits to ensure your voice is heard, the conversation stays focused on facts, and procedural boundaries are respected.