The whole process can be made ever more frightening when the people around you are using words, phrases and abbreviations that you have never heard before. If you happen to have additional needs; such as a learning disability, or low ability to understand, this can be made much harder too.
What is the difference between public and private law proceedings?
- Private law proceedings.
- You are asking the Court to decide where a child should live.
- You are asking the Court to decide how much time a child should spend with the non-resident parent.
- Public law proceedings,
- The Local Authority are trying to remove a child from your care.
A stressful situation...
Family proceedings, whether public or private law, are stressful and not being fully aware of what is being discussed can make them even more so.
The future of your child/children is being reviewed so you need to know what is happening. It is therefore vitally important that you make your Solicitor aware of your needs or if you feel you are having difficulty in understanding the legal language used.
Everybody involved will want to make sure that you understand what is happening so that they can work with you properly.
All professionals involved in family proceedings are guilty of forgetting that the average person does not deal with such matters on an every day basis so there is fair chance that they may not understand the terms or abbreviations being used.
Please do rest assured that no one will laugh or make you feel bad if you need extra support. Far from it in fact. We'd much rather you tell someone if you are not following what is being said so that we can answer any questions you have or explain it in another way.
What is a Cognitive Functioning Assessment?
A Cognitive Functioning Assessment is an assessment undertaken by a psychologist who will ask you various questions. They will take you through various number and literacy questions to determine what level you function at.
The outcome of this assessment is written in a report and shared with all parties involved. This then means that all involved know how best to work with you. That might include the use of a bigger font, using pictures as prompts or taking regular breaks. The report may even suggest that an intermediary is appointed to assist you within the Court proceedings.
These assessments can be done as part of the Court proceedings. Or if you are involved in the Public Law Outline process, they can be done during this stage.
The Cognitive Assessment will make sure that all professionals work with you in a way that makes sure you fully understand what is being discussed and the decisions being made.
If you require any assistance or have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch either via email at legal@timms-law.com , via our website or by giving us a call on freephone 0800 011 6666.
