Challenges in Care Proceedings and Legal Timelines

This chapter explores the difficulties within the legal system regarding care proceedings for children, emphasizing the impact of strict timeframes and resource shortages. It evaluates the shift from longer case durations to tighter deadlines, the implications of a 26-week threshold implemented in 2014, and discussions on increasing funding and extending the threshold for better outcomes. Additionally, it sheds light on the struggles faced by vulnerable parents in court, the need for more support systems like Shawstart, and proposes reevaluating parenting education and support services for at-risk individuals.