Child law

Wide range of advice and support for specialist Children's Trusts and the wider NHS relating to child law issues.

It is essential that health professionals are properly advised in respect of their legal obligations to children. With the overriding need to put children first, it is vital to ensure that correct decisions are made, particularly in sharing confidential information with other agencies. At the same time, employers need to be adequately protected and prepared to ensure that legal problems are avoided wherever possible.

Weightmans' Child Law team includes experts with practical knowledge of both the general common law relating to children and, in particular, the Children Act 1989 and 2004. We have considerable experience in dealing with the various issues involved, and an in-depth understanding of the legal complexities and difficulties that can arise when treating children.

As an NHS authority, you and your employees are in a particularly vulnerable position, and the quality of legal advice and support we provide can make a real difference to the outcome of any complaints made or proceedings taken against you.

We routinely provide advice and support on issues such as consent to treatment, patient confidentiality and data protection. We also deal with complex issues relating to contraception, and conflicting decisions between parents and their children and parents and the treating doctors.

Among many other child law issues, we have represented NHS Trusts with regard to Emergency Treatment Orders for children, “best interests” applications, inquests, care in the community and multi-agency liaison.