Val is a solicitor with over 30 year’s experience in all aspects of Children’s Law. Val has been a member of the Law Society Children Panel since 1996. This accreditation allows her to represent children and young people in private and public law proceedings through their Children’s Guardian from Cafcass, enabling their welfare to be promoted. On occasion Val acts for older children/young persons separately from their Children’s Guardian where they are competent to provide instructions direct in relation to their wishes and feelings.

Val also represents parents in care proceedings with social services involvement, when social services have taken action owing to concerns in relation to the children. She can assist throughout the process from the pre-proceedings stage to the conclusion of any court process, giving advice and guidance as to how best to reduce and deal with local authority concerns.

Advice is offered to grandparents and other relatives such as aunts and uncles, particularly those  involved  in a caring role for their grandchildren and seeking  special guardianship orders to acquire parental responsibility to assist in decision making for their young relatives.

Val is also an accredited specialist with Resolution in respect of private law proceedings, representing parents where there is a dispute about where the children should live and how much time they should spend with the other party, aiming to resolve such proceedings in line with the Resolution code of practice seeking to avoid acrimonious court proceedings wherever possible to reach agreements that are workable for all, especially the children . Val has been accredited with Resolution since 2001.