Family Law Week training webinar: s.37 Children Act and local authority intervention in private law children cases

The webinar will discuss:

• What are the court’s powers under section 37 Children Act? See eg Re E (Section 37 Direction, The Children Act 1989) [2025] EWCA Civ 470
• When can the court use its power to direct a local authority to investigate a child’s circumstances?  What type of cases might result in a direction for a s.37 report ?
• When and how might a court use its ancillary power under s. 38 to make an interim care order outside care proceedings?
• Tips for solicitors in cases where a s.37 report has been ordered
• What should a s.37 report contain?
• What trajectory might a private law case take after a s.37 report has been completed?

Time will be allocated for delegate questions at the end of the webinar and access to the webinar and slides will be provided following the webinar.

Date and time

Date: Wednesday 24 September 2025

Time: 12.30pm - 1.30pm

Speakers

Barry McAlinden is a specialist family law barrister. He deals with a range of cases concerning children in the private and public law jurisdictions often involving alienating behaviours by a parent or allegations of serious physical and emotional harm to children. Barry appears regularly in cases concerning the inherent jurisdiction of the High Court, cases with an international element and cases of serious harm, but also appears in all tiers of the Family Court.

Rebecca Davies focuses on family law: private and public children law proceedings and matrimonial finance, as well as Court of Protection cases. Her caseload for private law family proceedings typically includes contact and residence, prohibited steps orders, specific issue orders and relocation. For public law proceedings: the making and discharge of care and supervision orders, special guardianship orders, placement orders, secure accommodation orders and adoption orders.