Family Drug and Alcohol Court - Information for professionals

The child’s social worker’s task to protect the child is unchanged. We ask Children’s Social Workers to support the family’s trial for change. It is important that the Trust or local authority feels satisfied that the expectations on the family are sufficiently demanding to test whether parents have made enough change to be able to meet their children’s needs for the foreseeable future. At a more practical level Children’s Social Workers will be expected to attend the lawyer and Non-Lawyer hearings, Intervention Planning Meetings and the Child’s Needs Meeting. We would expect the Team Manager to attend Intervention Planning Meetings, Lawyer hearings and they are welcome to attend the Non-Lawyer Reviews.

Role of other professionals

Drug and alcohol recovery workers, domestic abuse and mental health services, housing and others play a vital part in working together to give families the best possible chance to overcome their problems. We will have written permission from the families to be able to communicate with you. The FDAC Intervention Team will want to stay in close contact and gather regular updates from professionals for the fortnightly Non-Lawyer reviews. On occasions such professionals may be invited to attend the Non-Lawyer Reviews.

Role of lawyers in FDAC

The role of the lawyers to advise and represent the parties is unchanged.