If you've recently received a PLO letter then you may be understandably confused and concerned about exactly what it means and how you should proceed.

Below we highlight what PLO is, what happens before, during and after the PLO meeting and process, what happens if parents fail to attend the PLO meeting, and how long the PLO process typically lasts for.

What does PLO stand for?

PLO is an abbreviation of Public Law Outline.

What is Public Law Outline?

Public Law Outline (PLO) is a process that takes place when a Local Authority becomes concerned about a child's wellbeing. If a Local Authority have reason to believe that a child or children are in some form of danger while in their family surroundings, then they have a legal duty to investigate those concerns by looking into the care they are receiving.

The PLO process typically offers parents one final opportunity to make necessary improvements to their parenting methods and to prove that they can work positively with the Local Authority before care proceedings need to be issued. If parents fail to take positive steps by addressing and resolving the noted concerns then the Local Authority may decide the best course of action is to make an application for care proceedings to the court.

The parents or guardians who are responsible for the care of the child or children will be issued an invitation to attend a PLO meeting if concerns about that standard of care have been raised.

What happens before, during and after a PLO meeting?

Before any Public Law Outline meeting can take place, a letter will be sent to those responsible for the care of the child or children stating that they are required to attend a PLO meeting on a specific date and time. This letter is entitled "letter before proceedings".

The parents may attend the PLO meeting with their legal representatives. Also in attendance will be the Local Authority solicitor, team manager, and social worker.

The team manager is there to explain the reasons for why the PLO meeting and process has been initiated and to discuss the support that Social Care can offer to the parents. Throughout the meeting the parents will have the opportunity to respond to the concerns that were raised regarding the safety of the child or children within the PLO letter they received.

Parents can expect social care to request that they sign a "written agreement" document which outlines what is expected of them and what they have to do in order to address and resolve the concerns of the Local Authority. 

This written agreement is not a legally binding document, but if it is breached the Local Authority are very likely to move progress by escalating matters further and relying on the breaches if they apply to the court.

At the end of the PLO meeting, a second meeting may be scheduled so that all points that were discussed during the first meeting can be reviewed and a decision can be reached as to whether the PLO process has helped resolve matters to a satisfactory level or if the PLO process needs to continue.

Read: Family law explained

What happens if parents don't attend a PLO meeting?

If parents fail to attend the PLO meeting to discuss the concerns about the care they are giving to their child or children, the Local Authority are likely to immediately progress by taking the matter to court.

How long does the PLO process last?

Each case can be different, but on average the PLO process typically lasts for a duration of around three months. The process is often extended if there is outstanding work that needs to be addressed and completed, but it can also be much shorter than three months should the Local Authority believe that they aren't seeing sufficient improvements.

Here at Fonseca Law, our team of knowledgable solicitors can help you in all areas of family law. If you'd like advice in regards to PLO proceedings, or would like to learn more about any of the legal services that we offer, don't hesitate to get in touch by calling 01495 303124, e-mailing enquiries@fonsecalaw.co.uk or by completing our online contact form.