Has Your Social Worker Asked You to Sign a S20 Agreement?
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Written by Emma Cordock, Director (Manchester and North of England) – Children Law, Cartwright King Solicitors
What is Section 20 agreement?
It’s a legal process under s20 Children Act 1989 where local authorities can temporarily look after a child if parents can’t provide proper care or the child is at risk. This means your child would be looked after by someone else other than you, that could be a family member or friend, foster care or a residential placement.
However, the Local Authority can only do this if a parent with parental responsibility provides consent.
Read more about what social services can and can’t do and how our social services solicitors can help.
If you are asked to sign or give s20 consent you must contact a child care solicitor, to fully understand its implications.
You will receive free legal advice if you are asked to provide such an agreement. Our child care solicitors at CK can provide you with the specialist advice you need.
Key Points of a Section 20 Agreement
However, in summary the Key Points are:
- Parents still have rights: They keep parental responsibility and must be involved in decisions about the child.
- Local authority’s role: Provide safe housing, education, healthcare, and emotional support.
- Voluntary agreement: Parents must agree to Section 20; they can withdraw consent unless a court steps in. You should speak to your legal representative before you sign or withdraw any agreement.
- Temporary measure: It’s not permanent – the goal is to reunite the child with parents or find a long-term solution. If a solution cannot be found the local authority may instigate PLO proceedings or Care Proceedings.
- Process: Usually starts with an assessment, then agreement from parents, then placement elsewhere such as foster care or similar.
- Reviews: There should be regular checks to ensure the child’s well-being.
- Challenges: Sometimes children stay too long under Section 20, which can raise legal concerns. This is why you must speak to a child care solicitor as soon as Section 20 is raised with you.
Read our full guide to Section 20 Agreements 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.
Legal Disclaimer
All advice is correct at time of publication.