Community Care Law

The team offers expertise in the following areas:

 - Assessment of Community Care Needs of Adults and Provision of Accommodation;

 - Assessment of Community Care Needs of Children;

 - Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children;

 - Children with Mental Disorders and/or Children as Patients;

 - Health and Social Care and Continuing Heath Care obligations.

The teams specialises in work which involves managing the distinction between Health Care and Social Services within the national framework for continuing health. Members of the team are also able to advise on the impact of the transfer of responsibility for public health from PCTs to Local Authorities under the new Health and Social Care Act 2012 and how this transition will impact upon Local Authority obligations.

The team undertake a broad range of work involving the duty of care to vulnerable adults and children.

The team has a particular focus on the care needs of vulnerable children within the system and inter-jurisdictional issues between the Court of Protection and the Family Courts. Many of the team have a lengthy and pre-eminent background in public law children work and are able to bring this experience into the work that is undertaken within the field of community care law, including in particular the leaving care provisions for older children.