A Guide to PLO Letters: What This Means and How to Respond

Have you received a PLO letter, or a letter from your social worker inviting you to a meeting?

Legally reviewed by: Emma Cordock Dec 2025 In: Child Care

Written by Emma Cordock, Director (Manchester and North of England) – Children Law, Cartwright King Solicitors

Public Law Outline (PLO) Overview

The Public Law Outline (PLO) sets out the duties of local authorities when considering court action for a Care Order or Supervision Order under Section 31 of the Children Act 1989. Proceedings should be completed within 26 weeks as per the Children and Families Act 2014.

Under the PLO if a Local Authority is concerned about your child and the risk is not immediate they should try, if possible, to resolve the concerns with you outside of court. However, this doesn’t mean you should not seek legal advice, in fact it means the opposite and you should contact a child care solicitor as soon as possible to try and avoid court proceedings being issued. This also includes not waiting before the birth of your child if you or your partner are pregnant.

Legal Aid is available for parents and those with parental responsibility therefore should you receive a PLO or pre-proceedings letter please contact Cartwright King as soon as possible.

A Brief Overview and Timescales of the PLO Process

Key Stages of PLO

Local Authority’s Decision to Initiate Pre-Proceedings
- Made via a Legal Gateway Meeting when concerns about a child remain unresolved.
- Often follows a Child Protection Plan or voluntary accommodation under Section 20 Children Act 1989.
Letter Before Proceedings
- Should be issued within 5 working days of decision.
- The letter outlines concerns, required changes, and advises parents to seek legal advice.
Pre-Proceedings Meeting
- Should be held within 7 working days of the letter.
- Could be in person or remote. You can request either depending on your circumstances.
- Includes parents, local authority, and legal representatives. Your legal representative should attend this meeting with you.
- The meeting will sets out what changes need to be made and what offers of support there are.
Period of Change
- Parents during this time should work on agreed actions with local authority support.
- This can include a further assessments of you and your family.
- This is where your legal representative can help you, by making sure you have all the help you need and the Local Authority are following their duties.
Pre-Proceedings Review
- This usually occurs 6–8 weeks after initial meeting. Again, your legal representative should attend with you.
- The aim is for the PLO to typically conclude within 12–18 weeks. However, this is not always possible.

Possible Outcomes

PLO Ends: Sufficient progress made; case may step down to Child Protection Plan or Child in Need Plan.
Extended PLO: Further review within 6–8 weeks as further work or change required (not beyond 16 weeks).
Care Proceedings: Initiated if insufficient progress and your child remains at risk.

Care Proceedings

In Summary care proceedings are:

Initiated when a child is suffering or at risk of significant harm.
Requires court approval under Section 31 Children Act 1989.
But note pre-proceedings meeting is a final attempt to avoid court unless immediate action is needed.

You can read a further breakdown of the PLO process in a further parent’s guide here, as well as find out more information on what to expect during the meeting in our further guide here.

Covering Public Law Outline Orders Across England

Our child care solicitors at Cartwright King cover PLO throughout England, however in the North we have particular experience with the following regions.

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Cartwright King is recognised in the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners for the strength of its child law team. As a Law Society-accredited firm, our child care law solicitors bring extensive experience in representing parents, carers and children in complex and sensitive proceedings. Our team is committed to securing fair and practical outcomes for every client. If you would like to understand how we can assist in your situation, you can explore our recent case studies or contact us to discuss your next steps.