Children's Court Lawyers

When it comes to child protection and related matters associated with the care and protection of children and young people, we are here to help.

If the Department of Child Safety becomes involved with your family, you need expert advice as soon as possible. This includes:

• If the Department are seeking to engage with you on a voluntary basis (intervention with parental agreement / care orders, safety plan etc) or

• If they have applied to the court for orders concerning your children. Often you won’t know the Department has applied for orders until after the order is made

If DOCS have been in touch regarding your family you will need immediate legal advice from a caring and experienced team.

Kalo Law Group  has successfully represented parents, grandparents, and children facing child protection matters in the courts. It’s essential to have an experienced, dedicated and trusted team to help you get the best outcome possible.

Child protection law is a particularly niche and specialised area of law and you need a lawyer who has experience dealing with the Department, their processes, the law and representing clients in the specialist child protection court. 

Child Protection Orders

Our principal lawyer Kerri Patterson regularly appears in the Children’s Court representing children, parents, foster carers and grandparents who are involved in child protection matters. Kerri is an experienced and skilled advocator  with a clear understanding of the workings of the Department of Child Safety and how their principles apply to children and families.

We regularly appear in all Childrens Court across the state, from Brisbane and South East Queensland Courts to regional and remote courts including Aurukun and Mount Isa.

What is child protection?

Every child should be entitled to protection from harm. Parents are responsible for providing protection from harm, however in cases where a parent is unable or unwilling, the Department of Child Safety will intervene to take steps to ensure the child is protected from harm. 

If there are concerns that:

• A child has been harmed;

• A child is currently suffering harm;

• A child is at risk of suffering harm

The Department of Child Safety will investigate and assess the harm or risk of harm. .

Child protection order

A child protection order is an order from the Children’s court to ensure the child is protected from harm. There are different types of child protection Orders, including: 

• An Order that the Department be granted custody of the child;

• An Order that the Department be granted guardianship of the child;

• An Order prohibiting certain people from doing certain things, E.g. an Order prohibiting a parent from having contact with the child;

• An Order directing a parent to do certain things, such as attend programs. 

There are a number of steps that need to be taken before the Court can make a final child protection order. The consequences of an Order being made can be catastrophic for you and your family so it is important that you get advice as soon as possible. 

If such an order is made for your child, it means that the court has determined that he or she is in need of protection and that there is no parent willing and able to meet the care and protection needs of the child.

For more information about when the court can make a child protection order see our article.

What to expect from your child protection lawyers

When you contact our local team in Townsville about representing you or your family, know that we are here to help.

Being the subject of a DOCS order is a stressful and emotional time. If you have been served with an application for any type of child protection order, it is important to get legal advice as soon as possible.

We understand you may feel anxious. We will explain the whole process, give you options and fight for you.

• We’ll ask you a series of questions so we can clearly understand the circumstances of your situation.

• Our team will explain your rights and obligations regarding the care of your children.

• You’ll be informed upfront about our fees so you are aware of the cost of being represented by a professional lawyer to get the best possible outcome for your case.

• We offer fixed fees and payment plans to suit all of our clients.

FAQS

Our director Kerri Patterson is a confident and tenacious advocate, she enjoys appearing in court and protecting her client’s rights. Kerri’s clients appreciate her professionalism, tenacity and responsiveness.