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.