Does the new system have the facility to identify parent’s who lack litigation capacity at an early stage to enable a guardian ad litem to be appointed?
The pre-proceedings guidance should remind local authority staff of the need to identify ‘protected parties’ at an early stage. The use of legal advocates in the pre-proceedings process should also enhance earlier identification. This question will also be raised at each stage of proceedings: on issue of the application; at the First Appointment and again at the Case Management Conference (CMC).
