Create PLO-aligned bundles for care proceedings. From Emergency Protection Orders to Final Hearings, our stage-specific templates help you work within the rules with the 26-week timetable.
Every stop on the journey produces a real document — template, form or hearing bundle
How do I prepare a care proceedings bundle UK?
A care proceedings bundle must follow PD27A and include the threshold document, local authority evidence, expert reports, statements, and guardian reports. Organise by PLO stage with clear pagination. BundleCreator automates this for 26-week compliance.
Each stop is a step in the journey. Larger ringed stops are hearings where you build a court bundle; smaller stops are forms, process steps, or court outcomes. Click any stop to see what it involves.
Emergency Route(Urgent)
Local Authority — 26-week proceedings(LA / applicant route)
Parents — Responding to care proceedings(Parents route (often LiP))
Lines:Emergency RouteLocal Authority — 26-week proceedingsParents — Responding to care proceedingsChildren's Guardian — Welfare oversightICO RenewalPost-care — Parent leversAppeal
Stops:Bundle hearing — a court bundle is built hereProcess step — no bundle, just a procedural milestoneOptional step — dashed: not always applicable (e.g. only if needed or agreed)Form-filing endpoint — apply on a court form (warrant or enforcement)
Reading:Blog Insight — purple book icons link to a related article (opens in a new tab)
Timing:⚠ 14 daysstatutory — miss this and lose4 weeksrequired noticetyp. 8motypical wait
Laws:This journey summarises the procedure under Children Act 1989 (Parts III, IV and V — care, supervision, post-care), Children Act 1989 ss.34, 38(6), 39, 44, 46, 47 (procedural levers), Adoption and Children Act 2002 (esp. s.21, s.24), Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR Part 25 expert evidence; Part 30 appeal), Public Law Outline (Practice Direction 12A), Practice Direction 27A (Family Court bundles) and Re B-S (Children) [2013] EWCA Civ 1146 (proportionality analysis). General information only — not legal advice.
The map shows ALL THREE perspectives on care proceedings — the local authority (top line, the applicant), the parents (parents-route, often LiP), and the Children's Guardian (guardian-route, independent welfare representative for the child). All three meet at CMH, IRH, and Final.
Care proceedings follow the Public Law Outline (PLO) with a 26-week statutory timetable. Before proceedings issue, the LA typically follows a pre-proceedings process: a s.47 investigation (where there is reasonable cause to suspect significant harm), a letter before proceedings (entitling parents to non-means-tested legal aid), and a pre-proceedings meeting where alternatives — Family Group Conferences and kinship options — are explored. Most successful diversions happen at this stage.
In emergencies, the pre-proceedings process is bypassed. Police may exercise police protection powers under s.46 CA 1989 to remove a child to safety (up to 72 hours), or the LA may apply for an Emergency Protection Order under s.44.
Once proceedings issue, a Children's Guardian is appointed by CAFCASS on Day 1 and represents the child's interests throughout. The 26-week timetable runs from the date the application is issued.
Between CMH and Final, s.38(6) residential or specialist parenting assessments may be directed. These are funded by the LA and must complete within the timetable. Expert assessments under FPR Part 25 may also be directed at CMH.
The final hearing determines: care order (child in LA care), supervision order (child at home under supervision), Special Guardianship Order (kinship placement), no order, or placement order (adoption authorised via Re B-S analysis). Post-care, parents have s.34 contact, s.39 discharge of care order, and s.24 ACA 2002 placement-order revocation routes — shown on the post-care-fan group.
Important: This journey map shows the typical stages of the relevant court or tribunal proceedings. It is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different. For advice about your specific situation, consult a solicitor or instruct a barrister directly.
The law, court fees and time limits can change. We work hard to keep this map accurate, but it may contain errors or become out of date, so please check anything important against the official source — for example legislation.gov.uk or GOV.UK. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Steleo Publishing Limited does not accept liability for any loss arising from reliance on this map. Each stop represents a stage where a separate bundle may be required; BundleCreator handles the formatting — it does not replace professional legal advice.
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Care proceedings bundles must comply with the Public Law Outline (PLO) and PD27A. Key documents include the threshold document, social work evidence, expert reports (ISW, psychological), and Cafcass guardian analysis. BundleCreator is online court bundle software that organises these into compliant sections for each PLO stage.
Last reviewed: 17 March 2026 by Stevie Hayes
What to look for in court bundle software for care proceedings
Care proceedings under Part IV of the Children Act 1989 generate large, fast-moving bundles handled by local authority lawyers, parents' solicitors, the Children's Guardian, and increasingly self-representing parents. These are the features to weigh up.
PD12A Public Law Outline structure
Care proceedings move through Advocates' Meeting, CMH, IRH, and final hearing within the 26-week timetable (s.32 Children Act 1989) under the Public Law Outline. Software should support a bundle profile per stage so the bundle reflects the directions in force at each milestone.
Threshold document and parents' response sections
The local authority threshold document and the parents' response sit at the heart of every care case. Templates should carry both as discrete sections that update as the case develops.
Children's Guardian and CAFCASS report handling
The Guardian's analysis is filed late and is essential reading. Software should let you slot the analysis into the bundle without renumbering everything before it.
PD27A-aligned section pagination
Care bundles use the same Bates per-section restart (A1, A2 … B1, B2 …) that non-financial-remedy family proceedings use under PD27A para 1.2. Software should default to that format for care work.
Multi-party bundle distribution
Care proceedings have many parties — local authority, mother, father, children's solicitor, Guardian, sometimes wider family. The tool should handle bundle distribution to multiple parties cleanly.
UK data residency and AES-256 encryption at rest
Care bundles contain children's data, social work records, and medical reports. Keep that data UK-resident, encrypted at rest with AES-256, and in transit over TLS 1.3.
Transparent pricing without a sales call
A 7-day trial and published pricing lets parents' solicitors and self-represented parents evaluate the tool against a live case.
Public Children Law Care Proceedings Bundle UK: In Brief
A public children law bundle is the evidence pack for care proceedings issued by a local authority under section 31 of the Children Act 1989. The Public Law Outline (PD12A) requires cases to conclude within 26 weeks. Bundles for Case Management Hearings, Issues Resolution Hearings, and Final Hearings must follow PD27A and assemble the threshold document, statements, expert evidence, and the Children's Guardian's analysis.
Key forms
C110A (application for a care or supervision order), threshold document, C2 (interim application within proceedings), C1 (s.8 order application where private-law issues arise alongside)
Time limits
26-week target from issue to final hearing (Children Act 1989 s.32(1)(a)(ii) inserted by Children and Families Act 2014 s.14)
Key parties
Local authority, parents, child (separately represented by the Children's Guardian appointed under FPR r.16.4), interveners with parental responsibility
Jurisdiction
Family Court — District Judge, Circuit Judge, or High Court Judge depending on gravity; Family Division of the High Court for novel or international cases
Bundle size
Designed to help meet PD27A and PD12A; threshold document, social worker statements, expert reports, Guardian's analysis; up to 1,000 pages supported
Local authorities initiate over 12,000 care proceedings annually in England and Wales.
Source: CAFCASS Care Demand Statistics, 2024
26 weeks
Statutory case management deadline
Care and supervision proceedings must, so far as practicable, be disposed of within 26 weeks of the application being issued.
Source: Children Act 1989, section 32(1)(a)(ii) (as amended by Children and Families Act 2014, section 14)
Section 31
Threshold criteria
A care or supervision order may only be made where the child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm attributable to the care given or likely to be given.
Source: Children Act 1989, section 31(2)
Built for Care Proceedings
Features for local authorities and family practitioners
PLO-Aligned
Bundles structured to Public Law Outline requirements. Track the 26-week timetable.
Stage-Specific Templates
Templates for EPO, ICO, CMH, IRH, and Final Hearing. Each optimised for that stage.
Threshold Documents
Organise threshold criteria and responses. Cross-reference evidence clearly.
Multi-Party Cases
Handle complex cases with multiple respondents - parents, family members, interveners.
Expert Evidence
Dedicated sections for ISW reports, psychological assessments, and medical evidence.
Sensitive Information
Handle confidential LA documents and sensitive child protection information securely.
Understanding Care Proceedings Bundles
Everything about public law children bundles
Care Proceedings in England and Wales
Care proceedings are brought by local authorities under section 31 of the Children Act 1989 when they believe a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. These are among the most serious cases in family law.
The Public Law Outline (PLO) sets strict timetables - cases should conclude within 26 weeks. Proper bundle preparation is essential for meeting court deadlines and ensuring fair proceedings.
The PLO Process
Care proceedings follow the Public Law Outline stages: pre-proceedings (Letter Before Proceedings), issue of application, Case Management Hearing (CMH), Issues Resolution Hearing (IRH), and Final Hearing.
Emergency Protection Orders (EPO) and Interim Care Orders (ICO) may be sought at earlier stages. The 26-week timetable runs from issue to final hearing.
What Goes in a Care Proceedings Bundle?
Care bundles must be meticulously organised to PD27A standards. They are often substantial due to local authority disclosure, expert reports, and historical records.
Section A: Applications, orders, and essential documents
Common questions about public children law bundles
BundleCreator's Public Children Law template is built for care proceedings under the Public Law Outline and the Children Act 1989 — designed to handle the 26-week timeline from issue to final hearing (s.32(1)(a)(ii) Children Act 1989). The bundle includes the C110A application with threshold document, the Local Authority's care plan, social worker statements, parenting assessments, expert reports (psychiatric, OT, SALT), Cafcass guardian's analysis, and authorities. Paginated continuously, OCR'd, hyperlinked-index, and bookmarked — designed to align with PD12A and PD27A.
C110A care proceedings bundles need: the C110A application form, the Local Authority's threshold document (specifying the s.31(2) Children Act 1989 grounds), supporting evidence (police disclosure, medical records, school records, social work chronologies), the Interim Care Order application or the existing ICO, the parents' position and any written response, and the Local Authority's care plan. BundleCreator's Public Children Law template orders these in the section structure required by PD27A with pagination, OCR, and bookmarks at section and document level.
Issues Resolution Hearing (IRH) bundles in care proceedings should focus on the live issues for the final hearing: the threshold (if still in dispute), the care plan and any alternative placement options, the expert evidence, the parents' position and welfare proposals, and the Cafcass guardian's analysis. Documents the court has already determined and historical correspondence not bearing on the live issues are normally excluded. BundleCreator's Public Children Law template helps you build a focused IRH bundle within PD27A's 350-page limit for non-financial-remedy proceedings, with a permission-to-exceed application route where the case requires it.
BundleCreator's Public Children Law template handles multi-disciplinary expert evidence in care proceedings: psychiatric assessments of parents, occupational therapy reports on parenting capacity, speech and language therapy reports on the children, paediatric reports on injuries, and joint expert statements. Each expert's report is bookmarked individually; the hyperlinked index lets the trial judge jump between experts on related issues. Exhibits within each report are paginated continuously through the section.
BundleCreator's Public Children Law template orders care proceedings documents in line with PD27A's required content list — case-management documents, applications and orders, statements and witness evidence, expert reports, the care plan, and other relevant material (medical records, police disclosure, school records). The chronology runs at the front; parenting assessments sit alongside the related expert and social-work evidence. Each section is bookmarked at section and document level; the hyperlinked index lets the trial judge navigate between linked items.
BundleCreator generates time-limited download links for the witness, encrypted in transit (TLS 1.3) and at rest (AES-256), with full audit logging of access. Particularly relevant for care proceedings where social worker witnesses need access to the bundle ahead of giving evidence but the bundle contains sensitive information about the child and family. The witness can download once, view for the agreed period, and the link expires automatically.
BundleCreator runs on Google Cloud's London region (europe-west2) — primary storage, backups, and processing all in the UK. AES-256 at rest, TLS 1.3 in transit. Sensitive child information, parenting assessments, medical records, and Cafcass guardian's analyses stay within UK borders, removing UK GDPR Article 44 transfer concerns. Aligned with the special-category data requirements of UK GDPR Article 9 for health and family-life data, and the solicitors' professional duty of confidentiality.
Emergency Protection Order applications under section 44 of the Children Act 1989 need: the EPO application form, the Local Authority's evidence of immediate harm (police logs, medical reports, witness statements), the Local Authority's safety plan, and authorities. BundleCreator's Public Children Law template handles same-day EPO bundles produced in around 15-30 minutes from upload, ready for the duty judge or out-of-hours single justice. Paginated, OCR'd, hyperlinked-index for the urgent hearing.
BundleCreator helps you prepare and organise documents for court and tribunal hearings. We are not a law firm and we do not give legal advice. Wherever you can, please get advice from a qualified legal adviser before your hearing. Read more
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best bundle tool for care proceedings under the PLO 26-week timeline?
BundleCreator's Public Children Law template is built for care proceedings under the Public Law Outline and the Children Act 1989 — designed to handle the 26-week timeline from issue to final hearing (s.32(1)(a)(ii) Children Act 1989). The bundle includes the C110A application with threshold document, the Local Authority's care plan, social worker statements, parenting assessments, expert reports (psychiatric, OT, SALT), Cafcass guardian's analysis, and authorities. Paginated continuously, OCR'd, hyperlinked-index, and bookmarked — designed to align with PD12A and PD27A.
How do I prepare a C110A bundle with threshold document and Interim Care Order?
C110A care proceedings bundles need: the C110A application form, the Local Authority's threshold document (specifying the s.31(2) Children Act 1989 grounds), supporting evidence (police disclosure, medical records, school records, social work chronologies), the Interim Care Order application or the existing ICO, the parents' position and any written response, and the Local Authority's care plan. BundleCreator's Public Children Law template orders these in the section structure required by PD27A with pagination, OCR, and bookmarks at section and document level.
How do I prepare an IRH bundle — what goes in, what stays out, 26-week deadline?
Issues Resolution Hearing (IRH) bundles in care proceedings should focus on the live issues for the final hearing: the threshold (if still in dispute), the care plan and any alternative placement options, the expert evidence, the parents' position and welfare proposals, and the Cafcass guardian's analysis. Documents the court has already determined and historical correspondence not bearing on the live issues are normally excluded. BundleCreator's Public Children Law template helps you build a focused IRH bundle within PD27A's 350-page limit for non-financial-remedy proceedings, with a permission-to-exceed application route where the case requires it.
How do I bundle expert evidence (psychiatric, OT, SALT) in a public law outline case?
BundleCreator's Public Children Law template handles multi-disciplinary expert evidence in care proceedings: psychiatric assessments of parents, occupational therapy reports on parenting capacity, speech and language therapy reports on the children, paediatric reports on injuries, and joint expert statements. Each expert's report is bookmarked individually; the hyperlinked index lets the trial judge jump between experts on related issues. Exhibits within each report are paginated continuously through the section.
How do I order a social worker chronology, parenting assessment, and medical records into a care bundle?
BundleCreator's Public Children Law template orders care proceedings documents in line with PD27A's required content list — case-management documents, applications and orders, statements and witness evidence, expert reports, the care plan, and other relevant material (medical records, police disclosure, school records). The chronology runs at the front; parenting assessments sit alongside the related expert and social-work evidence. Each section is bookmarked at section and document level; the hyperlinked index lets the trial judge navigate between linked items.
How do I share a large care bundle securely with a social worker witness in advance?
BundleCreator generates time-limited download links for the witness, encrypted in transit (TLS 1.3) and at rest (AES-256), with full audit logging of access. Particularly relevant for care proceedings where social worker witnesses need access to the bundle ahead of giving evidence but the bundle contains sensitive information about the child and family. The witness can download once, view for the agreed period, and the link expires automatically.
Is there a secure tool for sensitive child data in care proceedings under UK GDPR?
BundleCreator runs on Google Cloud's London region (europe-west2) — primary storage, backups, and processing all in the UK. AES-256 at rest, TLS 1.3 in transit. Sensitive child information, parenting assessments, medical records, and Cafcass guardian's analyses stay within UK borders, removing UK GDPR Article 44 transfer concerns. Aligned with the special-category data requirements of UK GDPR Article 9 for health and family-life data, and the solicitors' professional duty of confidentiality.
How do I prepare an EPO emergency protection order bundle out-of-hours?
Emergency Protection Order applications under section 44 of the Children Act 1989 need: the EPO application form, the Local Authority's evidence of immediate harm (police logs, medical reports, witness statements), the Local Authority's safety plan, and authorities. BundleCreator's Public Children Law template handles same-day EPO bundles produced in around 15-30 minutes from upload, ready for the duty judge or out-of-hours single justice. Paginated, OCR'd, hyperlinked-index for the urgent hearing.
