Glossary

11+ exams are standardised selective entrance exams usually taken by 11 year old students (taken at the beginning of year 6) to attain a place at a grammar school or independent schools (also known as private schools) that have entrance exams and choose their students according to ability. It is not a compulsory exam. Students take 2 – 3 exams lasting about 40 minutes each. The topics covered are Maths, English, verbal reasoning and nonverbal reasoning. Exams are based on the national curriculum in England and verbal and non-verbal reasoning

The 16 – 19 bursary fund is a government grant given to 16 – 19 year olds that intend to or are studying at a school or college that does not charge you to enrol and attend or you are on a training course or unpaid work experience. For over 19 year olds you may also get the bursary if you have a education, health and care plan (EHCP) or you are a 19+ continuer (you are continuing the course you enrolled in when you were 16 – 19 years of age. This bursary does not apply to any individual who is intending to or attending university.

A-Level is short for advanced levels. A-Levels are usually a 2 year course studied in years 12 and 13 at sixth form or at a college. A-Levels consist of 2, 3 or 4 subjects. The exams are taken at the end of year 13. A-Levels are graded E – A*. A-Levels are assessed through exams at the end of year 13. Some courses have coursework which form part of the end mark but the majority of A-levels have end exams. Choosing which A-Levels to study is important if you would like to eventually go into a particular field of employment. If you want to become a doctor, you will need to study a medicine course at university after your A-Levels. The A-Levels recommended are chemistry, biology and maths/physics.

This is when a child under 16 years of age is removed from a parent or legal guardian without the permission or the parent or court.

Abortion is a medical procedure with the sole aim of ending a pregnancy. Another name for abortion is termination.

An abusive relationship is when one individual/partner carry’s out behaviours to get control and power over the other partner. The abuse can encompass the following behaviours and many more: Physical abuse Emotional abuse Sexual abuse Coercive control Intimidation Isolation Causing mental distress

This reference is given by a tutor, academic adviser, or teacher. It will probably confirm your education details and speak about your academic achievements.

An academy is a state school. It is not controlled or funded by the local authority. It is funded by the government (the department of education) and local sponsors such as businesses and faith groups. An academy has a lot of independence and can make changes (are flexible) to school hours, term dates and can follow a different curriculum. An academy or free school is operated by a non profit academy trust. A city academy is operated in the inner cities. These schools are for all children no matter what the ability of the child. An academy or free school can be set up by teachers, parents, businesses, a charity, a university, an independent school, and/or a faith group. Academies are inspected by Ofsted.

This is another word for 'contact'. This is usually used in relation to a child.

This is the form used to reply to the court that an individual (the respondent) has received a copy of the divorce application and associated paperwork submitted by their ex-partner (the applicant).

When a court hearing is postponed to a later date and time.

This is the transfer to all legal rights to a child under 16 years of age from one set of parents (often the birth parents) to the adoptive parents.

An adoption order is where the court grants a couple or an individual parental responsibility for a child. The child will become part of their family and a new adoption certificate will be issued to replace the original birth certificate. The birth parents, or the individual(s) with parental responsibility will lose this responsibility once the adoption order has been granted.

A person who will help, guide and support you through a court case. Depending upon who they are and their legal training if they have any, they MAY be able to represent you in court where they can put forward your case on your behalf. An advocate can help you stand up for your rights. A lawyer and barrister can be referred to as an advocate.

The main aim of an advocate is to empower a looked after child, uphold their human rights and make them feel they are being listened to. A child advocate is someone who offers the following to a looked after child: Offers support to a child enabling them to express their feelings and wishes Gives advice to a child. Explains their rights to the child Aims to protect and champion the child’s rights. Represents the child at local authority child services meetings and reviews. Represents the child at school meetings Talks to the child’s social worker explaining the child’s issue(s) and negotiates with them for the best interest of the child. Puts forward the child’s views and feelings. Speaks on the child’s behalf. Gives a child a voice Makes sure the child understands what has happened and what is happening to them.

A written statement that has been sworn to be the whole truth by the individual who has written it. The written statement has a signed sworn statement of truth added to it. This statement is sworn with a solicitor present or an authorised court officer.

The term used to promise that you will tell the truth. An affidavit signed and dated by you is an example where you affirm that you will tell the truth. An affidavit is a written statement that has been sworn to be the whole truth by the individual who has written it. The written statement has a signed sworn statement of truth added to it. This statement can be sworn with a solicitor present or an authorised court officer.

Alienating behaviours is described in the Cafcass website as “circumstances where there is an ongoing pattern of negative attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of one parent (or carer) that have the potential or expressed intent to undermine or obstruct the child’s relationship with the other parent.”

Amah is a nurse maid or nanny in India or East Asia.

This is the term used when one party introduces evidence at a hearing that has not previously been disclosed or mentioned in a witness or position statement. This could be a new accusation or evidence.

An ancient university in the UK is one of 7 universities established centuries ago. They are the original UK universities founded between the 12th and 16th centuries. Oxford University was the first university in the UK. It was founded between 1096 and 1167. Cambridge University founded in 1209. St Andrews University founded in 1413 Glasgow University founded in 1451 Aberdeen University founded 1495 Edinburgh University founded in 1582 Dublin University founded in 1592

A old legal term used for the process of dividing marital assets, finances and pensions during a divorce. Ancillary relief is also known as financial remedy or financial settlement.

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder and a serious mental health condition fuelled by the need to lose weight and keep it as low as possible. The individual concerned has the distorted belief they are fat despite the fact they are obviously not.

An answer is the reply filed in court by a respondent in response to accusations made in a divorce application.

Anti-social behaviour is the behaviour of an individual that causes distress, harm, harassment to others of different households.

An Anton Pillar Order in family proceedings is also referred to as a search order. The court can order the search of the private premises of an individual for the inspection and seizure relevant papers, evidence, documents and things. This order is only made in exceptional circumstances.

To apply to reverse, overturn, amend, vary a court decision(s) that you disagree with.

An appellant is the person who completes and submits an appeal form to the court to set aside or vary an existing court order. You can request a new hearing, a stay on the existing court order or a stay on case proceedings while the appeal is being dealt with. There are strict time limits in which to lodge an appeal with the court.

The spouse who submits an application form to the family court to start divorce, child arrangements or financial settlement proceedings.

Some employers use an application tracker system (ATS) where if you are completing their application form online you can complete parts of the form, save it and return to complete the rest of the form later.

An apprenticeship combines work with study and gives a student ‘on the job’ learning and training. The student is paid during the training.

Arbitration is a formal process of sorting out your divorce without court intervention and hearings. An arbitrator is a neutral third party who acts like a private judge and will listen to both parties before making their decision(s). This decision(s) is called an award.

This is the amount of money that is due/outstanding for child maintenance and should have been paid earlier.

A child between the ages of 10 years and 18 years can be arrested, charged with a crime and taken to court. The police cannot arrest or charge a child under the age of 10 years.

AS-Levels are studied in year 12 in the sixth form of a school or at a college. They are the first part (first year) of your A-Level. AS-Levels do not count as part of your A-Level grade anymore

An ASBO is short for anti-social behaviour order that can last for a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of life. It is a civil sanction issued by the court. It is not a criminal offence to have an ASBO. The purpose of an ASBO is to prevent a certain type of behaviour which may cause harm and distress to others. An ASBO can be granted by the court under the crime and disorder act 1998. A child of 10 years of age can be issued with an ASBO. The court can include directions and restrictions in the ASBO such as during certain times an individual cannot enter a particular area.

An assessed curriculum is where there is an emphasis on different types of testing techniques to assess students’ learning.

Assign is used to refer to the transfer of a marital asset from one partner to another.

An assigned gender identity is the gender one is born with and usually refers to a child’s external anatomy. The assigned gender can be male or female. Other words for assigned gender are biological sex, birth sex, and natal sex.

Assisted conception is when the process of forming an embryo is done with medical help. One such method is called IVF. IVF is short for in vitro fertilisation. It is the process where a man’s sperm fertilises a woman’s egg in a laboratory to make an embryo then this embryo is placed into a woman’s uterus so that the embryo implants and a pregnancy can start.

An au pair is an individual from a foreign country where they live with the host family and take care of their children in return for living facilities, food and pay. An au pair is integrated into the host family’s life.

Authorised absence is when the school has agreed and given permission for a child in compulsory education not to attend school for that day or a limited number of days.

A word which originates when Europeans hired an Indian nanny to look after their child whilst living in India.

A babysitter can be an individual hired for a few hours or a temporary basis that usually comes to the home to look after a child. At the same time a babysitter can also be qualified and registered with Ofsted.

The individual whose job it is to serve court papers on an individual. A bailiff must make sure this individual receives these court documents that require them to be informed, respond, comply with directions or attend court.

This is also called a section 91 (14) order. This is a court order that stops an individual involved in the proceedings from making further applications until the end of the proceedings or until when the court order states.

A legally trained person who represents and speaks on behalf of an individual in front of a judge/magistrate in a court case. A barrister can also prepare a case to be presented in court, give specialist legal advice, review and gather evidence and research historical cases.

The beneficiaries are the individuals (your children) who inherit and/or benefit from your will or trust.

An individual’s body mass index is a figure that is calculated using their height and weight. This body mass index figure will show whether an individual has a healthy weight.

Body image is a collection of positive and negative thoughts, perceptions and feelings an individual has regarding the aesthetics and attractiveness of their own physical body. It also encompasses how we believe others see us as well.

Written by a solicitor giving guidance and instructions to a barrister representing their client at a court hearing.

BTEC is short for business and technology education council. It is a vocational qualification which focuses on learning both theory and practical skills. BTECs give students hands-on experience. They can be studied at school or a college.

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder and a serious mental health condition fuelled by the need to lose weight and keep it as low as possible. The individual concerned has the distorted belief they are fat despite the fact they are obviously not.

Bullying is the intentional causing of physical pain, harm, fear and/or emotional distress to another through repetitive and persistent behaviour over a period of time. Bullying encompasses verbal abuse, physical abuse, psychological abuse, online abuse, texting abuse and social media abuse.

A bundle is an A4 file or electronic document of all the relevant paperwork in a court case. During a court case both parties and the judge will have a bundle in front of them so that everyone can access the correct paperwork at the same time.

This is the term used when it is the responsibility of a party to prove the allegation they have made in court. It is not the responsibility of the defendant to disprove the allegation.

Cafcass is the children and family court advisory and support service. They are involved in the court process of child arrangements where they assist families to make decisions about a child(ren) and often cast as the voice of the child(ren). They are a public body.

CAMHS is a NHS mental health service for children and young people. A child’s GP can also refer a child to CAMHS. CAMHS have primary mental health workers, social workers, therapists, psychotherapists, psychologists, and occupational therapists.

A care order is a court order granted by a court where local authority child services is given responsibility to look after and care for a child they believe is at risk, danger, needs help, is neglected, or needs housing.

Under part 2 section 5 of the care planning, placement and case review (England) regulations 2010, local authority child services will produce a care plan for every looked after child. The care plan is aimed at planning and reviewing the care of a looked after child. It should be, if possible, produced and agreed with the parents or with the person who has parental responsibility, the child’s carers and any professionals involved with the care of the child. The care plan should also be produced before a looked after child is placed in local authority accommodation or during the10 days after being placed.

Care proceedings is a court hearing where the application for a care order made by the local authority is heard by a judge or magistrate. Evidence is presented, cases are put forward, witnesses can be called and decisions are made.

This is a meeting where social workers and individuals from other organisations meet to discuss and determine what steps need to be taken to look after, care and protect a child under 16 years of age.

This is part of the law that is based upon previous court decisions where a precedent has been set rather than the law that has been passed by parliament.

The private office of a barrister or judge. Court hearings that are held in private away from the public are held in chambers.

This programme provides help and aid to students (and adults) who have been referred because they have been recognised to be vulnerable to radicalisation. This programme is multi-agency and gets involved in the early stages of radicalisation.

The tangible personal property of an individual such as a car, clothes and jewellery.

In the UK a child is referred to as an individual who is under 18 years of age.

Child abandonment is when a parent or the person with parental responsibility leaves a child with the intention of not returning to take care of their parental duties towards the child.

Child abduction is the term used to describe the unauthorised removal from, detention or non-return of a child to their parent(s) or guardian(s) by force, threats, blackmail, deception or through violent means. The only way a child can be removed from their parents is with their consent or with a court order. Child abduction is also referred to as child theft.

Child abuse is the term used when a person aged 18 years or under is being harmed or not being looked after in a proper fashion. Child abuse can a one off action or many actions over a period of time. Child abuse can happen in person and online

Adoption is the process where the parental responsibility of a child is transferred from the birth parent(s) or any individual or organisation with parental responsibility to the adoptive parent(s). The child will become a member of the adoptive family. Adoption is a legal process and is legally binding.

This order states with whom a child is to live, spend time or otherwise have contact. It will also address other issues relating to the child. It replaces contact and residence orders and combines both in one order.

An assessment order is one that is granted by the court so that a local authority social worker can assess a child’s health and well-being to ascertain whether the child has been harmed or is at risk of being harmed.

Under section 17 of the children act 1989, a child in need plan is one that is written after a meeting where it has been established that the child does not need a child protection plan however, the child and the family still need support for other needs and to ensure the child safety and welfare.

A child minder is a regular form of childcare where the child goes to the home or workplace of the childminder during the day. They are qualified, registered with Ofsted and/or with an agency.

Money mules is the process whereby criminals will use the bank accounts of an individual below the age of 18 years to launder money. A child money mule will accept money into their bank account and then transfer it to another account. Very often the child can keep a little of the money afterwards. This is also known as squaring.

Child obesity is when a child’s weight and body fat is very much over the accepted standard for their height and age. Child obesity is a complex disease which can lead to a lifetime of medical complications and issues. Obesity occurs when a child consumes much more calories than they need for growth and development. These extra calories are stored as fat in the body. The excess fat increases the child’s weight and as stated above when this weight is very much over the accepted standard for the child’s height and weight they are considered obese.

Child prostitution is the commercial sexual exploitation of a child. The child is offered to many individuals for sexual activity in exchange for money as well as drugs in some cases. The child may receive money, food, gifts, or could be paying off a debt to engage in and perform sexual activities. Children can be prostituted on the streets, brothels, hotels, massage parlours or at gatherings and parties in restaurants. Child prostitution is a form of child sexual exploitation.

A child protection conference is a meeting about a child where the following is discussed: The child’s health, education, safety and welfare will be discussed. Details of any enquiries that have been made will be discussed. Any concerns about the child will be brought to the forefront. Previous harm or abuse will be talked about An assessment may be done to ascertain whether the child is at risk now and in the future. A child who is at risk will have a child protection plan written for them. This is determined at the child protection conference.

A child protection plan is written for a child who has been identified as one that is at risk at a child protection conference. A child protection plan will detail the following What provisions will need to be made available for the child to ensure the child is safe and prevent further harm or abuse. What steps need to be taken to ensure the child is safe and protected now and in the future. What can be done to promote the health and well being of the child. What can be done to promote the development of the child. What can be done to support the family of the child. The expected outcome, the timelines, and who will be responsible for which part of the plan will be noted in the plan.

All schools and education establishments must have a document called a child protection policy as part of their pastoral care. A child protection policy can be referred to as a safeguarding and child protection procedure policy or something similar but they are the same thing. All policies must be available for all students, parents and staff to read. Most schools have it available on their website.

A child safety order is usually imposed by the court on a child 10 years and younger when the child breaks the law, commits an offence or does not adhere to a curfew. A child 10 years old and under cannot be charged with a criminal offence. A child safety order can last from 3 months to 1 year. If the child continues the bad behaviour the court then may order the child to be taken into care and become a looked after child. The child’s parents can be prosecuted if they are found negligent.

Child services is a department in all local authorities that are responsible for the care, protection and welfare of all children in the borough, especially vulnerable and looked after children (children in care). They undertake all the duties outlined in the order dated 2010 below.

Child sexual exploitation is when an individual takes advantage of their dominance, influence, power and perceived superior position over a child under 18 years of age to force, coerce, entice, blackmail, threaten, or scare them into engaging in any form of sexual activity. The child can be given gifts, money, drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol in exchange for sexual activity. The child can also be given protection, status, perceived love and affection if they agree to perform the sexual activities asked of them. The sexual activity can be with them or with others. It can be in person or online. A child can comply with the requested sexual activities to safeguard their friends and family from harm. The individual who is sexually exploiting the child could receive money, discounted drugs, alcohol or debt clearance in exchange for offering the child for sexual activity.

Child sexual grooming is when someone befriends or develops a relationship with a child and sometimes also their family, gains their trust so they can exploit, manipulate and sexually abuse the child. The connection the abuser develops allows them to reduce the inhibitions of the child making them more susceptible to the sexual abuse. A child who has been groomed can be exploited sexually and in certain circumstances they can be trafficked. An abuser who wants to groom your child may also groom the child’s parents to gain time alone with the child. If the parents are busy the abuser can offer to babysit the child, take the child to sports clubs, or coach and mentor your child. They may even try and spend more time at your home offering to do tasks to be useful or buy gifts for the family. Grooming is a gradual process which can take place over a period of time. It is predatory behaviour.

Child slavery is the exploitation and use of children for another individual’s benefit, profit, advantage or gratification. Child slavery can encompass criminal activity (selling drugs, weapons, crimes), forced labour (work for little or no pay) and sexual activity (prostitution and sexual exploitation) . A child can be threatened, controlled, blackmailed, manipulated, coerced, and deceived into committing crimes, slavery, prostitution or labour. There is a power imbalance between the child and the individual(s) exploiting the child. Even though it may seem that the child has consented to participate in the exploitation that is not the case.

Child trafficking is the commercial trade of children for the purpose of illegal activities including sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation, forced labour, slavery or for their organs. Child trafficking can be local, national or international. A child can be deceived, coerced, blackmailed, and manipulated, into being trafficked.

A child with medical needs means that they have a medical condition

A child’s identity is a culmination of many representations they have about themselves. In basic language, a child’s identity is describing who they are and how they perceive themselves and how others perceive them. A child’s identity is composed of two things, those things that cannot be changed and those that can.

Childcare is when an individual is hired or asked to provide care for a child under the age of 18 years.

The legislation passed by the UK government in 1989 that governs issues relating to children.

This is a document you must send to the court at the start of financial proceedings but before the FDA (financial dispute appointment/the first appointment). Your chronology should be a concise list with dates in chronological order of the key life events and incidents in your marriage leading up to the divorce. It is sometimes referred to as a background summary and should be no more than 1-2 pages long. This will help the judge at the first directions appointment (FDA).

A circuit judge is a judge who will preside over a case at their local county court.

These state colleges are funded by the government and by organisations and companies. The age of their pupils is between 11 – 18 years. They offer GCSEs, A Levels and many other vocational qualifications. These colleges follow the national curriculum however their main focus is mathematics, technology and science.

A persistent offender of anti-social behaviour can be issued with a civil injunction by the court. A person aged 10 years and over can be issued with a civil injunction. For a child under 18 years of age a civil injunction can last up to 1 year. For a child under 18 years of age if they disobey a civil injunction they will get a 3 month detention order.

A form of relationship that is legally binding but giving the same rights as those of a married couple.

Clearing is a system organised by UCAS by which universities and colleges fill their courses where seats are still available. It is also a way for students who have not achieved the required grades to be admitted onto the course they initially applied for to get onto another course at the same university or another university.

The CMS oversees child maintenance payments. It is used by parents who cannot come to an agreement about child maintenance. The CMS replaced the CSA (child support agency) in November 2013.

This is a supplementary document that is attached to a will that states any changes you have made to your will without having to rewrite the whole will.

A form of domestic violence where an act or a series of acts by a partner or a member of the family results in controlling, scaring, and isolating you. Coercive control encompasses many forms of domestic violence.

The word used to describe the act of a couple living together.

Where two individuals live together as a couple without being legally married.

This is a legal agreement between a couple who are or intend to live together which details child arrangements, how finances are spent and the responsibilities of each partner while living together.

A cold parent is one that often fulfils the physical needs of their child but neglects loving, caring and showering affection on their child. They also do not let their child show negative emotions and shut these down instantly. Another name for cold parent syndrome is refrigerator parent or parent wound.

This is the act of sending an individual to prison.

This is the term used when a couple live together but they are not married or in a civil partnership. These couples are called common law spouses or partners. They do not have the same rights as a married couple when they separate.

A persistent offender of anti-social behaviour can be issued with a community protection notice by the court. A person aged 16 years and over can be issued with a community protection notice. There is no maximum period a community protection notice can last for. For a child under 18 years of age if they disobey a community protection notice they will get a fine of between £100 and £2500.00.

A community school is a maintained state school. It is funded, maintained and owned by the local authority. The local authority owns the whole school estate (the land and buildings). A community school follows the national curriculum, government direction on admissions, exclusions and SEN guidelines. A community school will allow the community to use their premises, offer adult classes, and childcare services. A community school is not influenced by religious organisations or any businesses. They are inspected by Ofsted.

This is when a child is convicted of a crime by a court but instead of being sent to jail they are expected to do unpaid work to benefit the local area and community. This is also referred to as community payback.

UK law says that all children aged between 5 years and 16 years must be provided with a suitable education and are entitled to a place free of charge at a UK state school.

Conceiving means to become pregnant. It describes the process when a man’s sperm fertilises a woman’s egg to make an embryo, then this embryo implants itself into the woman’s uterus for a pregnancy to start.

The word used to describe the behaviour of either spouse/partner during the marriage and/or during child proceedings.

The court can, in unusual circumstances, take your conduct or the conduct of your ex-partner in the marriage, separation and during proceedings into account. Normally, this concerns the most extreme forms of negative behaviour.

This is a court order where a parent is ordered to pay a certain amount of child and/or spousal maintenance minus the amount calculated by the child maintenance service.

A court order where the content have been agreed between you and your ex-partner either between yourselves or with the help of mediation and approved by the court. In other words it is a court order reached by yours and your ex-partners consent. This consent order will also have a court stamp, mandatory warnings and penal notices on it. In child arrangements, a consent order is called a child arrangements order that has been reached by consent. In financial settlement/division of assets, a consent order is called a financial consent order. 

An individual who is guilty of contempt of court is called a contemnor.

When you or your ex-partner have not complied with the directions of a court order. A person who is in contempt of court can be fined or imprisoned.

This is the process of how legal fees will be paid depending upon the outcome of a court case. An example of this is the 'no win no fee' type of court case.

A cord blood bank is where this blood from the placenta and umbilical cord is stored and saved for future medical use.

Cord blood banking is the process where the blood from the placenta and the umbilical cord is drained (extracted) and saved immediately after the birth of a baby.

Corporate parenting is the combined care given by local authority child services, local authority support agencies, local services and local authority employees to look after the welfare, to support, to safeguard and protect all looked after children. The care local authority child services should provide for a looked after child is detailed in section 22 (3) of the children act 1989.

A costs order is a court order stating that one party will pay the full legal fees of the other party or contribute some money to cover part of the legal fees. A judge will normally determine this at the end of the divorce proceedings, however depending upon the conduct of the parties, this can be determined at any stage of the proceedings. Legal costs include solicitor and barrister fees and other relevant legal fees incurred. 

Another name for a barrister or a person legally advising you about your court case.

The county court is the name used for a civil court where family cases are heard and dealt with.

Coursework is written or practical work done by a student during the period they are studying and learning about a subject or course. Coursework can be part of the final marks of the course.

These are fees that are paid to the court regarding submission of applications to start proceedings and deal with matters within proceedings.

The court of appeal in the court which deals with appeal applications that are made to reverse or change decisions made by a lower court.

A legal document outlining the decisions that have been made during a court hearing. The court order will have a court stamp, and contain mandatory warnings and penal notices.

All court hearings are audio recorded and kept safe by the court. When required these recordings are written down on paper for you to read what happened at the hearing (who said what and when). This is called a transcript.

This term means the court that will deal with your case has the legal right to hear and make decisions about your case. EXAMPLE – A British couple living in Spain cannot get divorced in a court in California USA. The Californian court does not have the jurisdiction to deal with their case unless they fulfil the country’s criteria to make a divorce application.

A cover letter is sent alongside a CV to a prospective employer. It’s purpose is to introduce you and explain that you are sending a CV for them to consider you for a position at their company or organisation.

A cheche worker is a nursery assistant or worker that looks after and helps children up to the age of 5 years in a nursery setting.

This is a voluntary community programme run by your local youth offending team designed to keep children away from crime. Children in trouble with the law or who commit antisocial behaviour should attend. A child can be referred by the police, your local youth offending team, the school, a parent, or a child services social worker

A persistent offender of anti-social behaviour can be issued with a criminal behaviour order by the court if they have already been convicted of a crime. A person aged 10 years and over can be issued with a criminal behaviour order. For a child under 18 years of age a criminal behaviour order can last between 1 – 3 years. For a child under 18 years of age if they disobey a criminal behaviour order they will get a 2 year detention order.

This happens when both you and the other party in proceedings make the same application more or less at the same time.

This happens in court where an individual will be asked questions by the other party. A barrister usually conducts the cross examination.

The CSA was replaced by the CMS (child maintenance service) in November 2013. It oversees all maintenance agreements made before November 2013.

The word ‘curriculum’ is used to describe all the academic content of subjects that is taught in an education establishment and the expected attainment levels and standards for each of the 4 key stages of education in primary and secondary school.

A child under 18 years of age given a custodial sentence will be sent to a secure unit for children. They will not be sent to an adult jail. The court will give a custodial sentence if the crime is a serious one.

Today in 2022 this term refers to 'with whom the child shall live with'. Another word for custody is residence.

This is when a child is sent to a secure unit until and during their trial at court.

A CV is a concise document that essentially talks about you and sells you to an employer/organisation. Another name for a CV is resume.

The dark web exists and is part of the internet. It is a collection of internet sites that cannot be accessed or seen by normal search engines like google and internet explorer. The dark web is full of criminal activity and should be avoided at all costs despite the fact some say that there are parts of it that do not have criminal activity. Other names for dark web are darknet.

A data protection impact assessment (DPIA) is carried out by an education establishment when they are administering and implementing new software, new operating systems, and payment plans where there is a risk and danger of data leak or mismanagement. The DPO of the school must advise and help with the assessment.

Under article 37 (1) GDPR all education establishments including schools must appoint a data protection officer. This role is an independent monitoring and advisory role. A DPO officer can be an internal member of staff as long as there is no conflict of interest however an individual who is not part of the school is preferred. Usually a data protection officer is an individual who is the DPO of many schools in the area (the schools share one officer). This officer advises the schools about their GDPR compliance. The DPO reports directly to the head or deputy head of the school, they must have experience, understanding and knowledge of UK and European GDPR.

A data subject access request (DSAR) is a request from an individual who would like to view what information an organisation/company/school holds about them. The data protection officer (DPO) will handle these requests and make sure the whole process complies with regulation.

Date rape is the intentional penetration of a vagina, anus or mouth by a penis that takes place during or after a date where one party has not given consent. This is different from assault by penetration which is the penetration of the vagina, anus or mouth with another object other than a penis without consent.

This is the term used when a court declares that an individual has been served (they have received) a copy of an application form and relevant court documents whether they have or not.

This term can be used to describe the act when a person fails to reply to court papers. A default divorce is an uncontested divorce where only one party is involved because the other party cannot be reached.

A degree is usually studied at a university. It is a higher education qualification. The different types of degrees

Occasionally a child can start the process of puberty later than usual. For a boy this could be that there is no testicular activity by the age of 14 years. For a girl they may not have developed breasts by the age of 13 years or not started menstruating by the age of 15 years.

Depleted parent syndrome happens over a period of time where a parent starts to become overwhelmed physically, mentally, and emotionally with the demands on them as their resources (sleep, time, family) to help them day to day decrease at the same time. This parent finds it difficult to cope with the expectations around them. Other names for depleted parent syndrome are parental burnout and parental exhaustion. The environment created by a parent suffering from depleted parent syndrome can be toxic to the children in the family.

A person who makes a statement, affidavit or deposition under oath is called a deponent. This usually happens in a deposition.

A deposition is a meeting conducted outside of the courtroom often in a solicitors office. Here information is gathered by both parties so that the case can move forward. This information can be used in future court hearings. A court recorder can be present to record what happens at this deposition meeting. A deposition can also be called a pre-trial. All statements and information is given under oath.

Under section 20 of the childrens and young persons act 2008 the governing body of maintained schools should allocate a member of staff (referred to as the designated teacher) who be responsible for the educational and academic achievement of a looked after child enrolled at the school.

This is the process of hiring a barrister directly yourself rather than through a solicitor to represent you in your court case.

Direct contact means that a parent can see their child in person. Direct contact can be supervised or unsupervised depending upon what the court has ordered.

An instruction given by a judge/magistrate which must be acted upon and obeyed.

A directions hearing is a hearing where a judge will consider all applications and the facts of the case and give directions for both parties to follow so as to move the case forward.

This is a court order stating what both parties must do before the next hearing so as to progress the court case further. Very often a date and time is given by which to do these things.

A disabled child has a physical or mental disability that prevents them from carrying out day to day activities such as being mobile, getting dressed and bathing. However, the disability could also be sensory such as a visual or hearing impairment or mental such as autism.

An expense occurred in preparation and during a court case outside of legal fees that a solicitor will pay on your behalf. Examples of disbursements are expert report fees.

Discipline is the process of gaining and maintaining control of a situation and enforcing order and obedience. Discipline is the process that helps your child learn the difference between good and bad behaviour.

To provide all details that are required to go forward with court proceedings. These details can be provided voluntarily or enforced through a court order.

Discrimination is the unjust and unfair intolerance, prejudice, bias, distinction, favouritism, and bigotry with regards to an individual’s protected characteristic. Under article 14 of the European convention on human rights, discrimination is a human rights violation.

The term used to end a civil partnership. It is similar to the word divorce which is the term used to end a marriage.

A district judge is a full time judge who presides over family court cases in the county court. They can hear both financial settlement and child arrangement cases.

A do-it-yourself child arrangements is where you or your ex-partner will make all the decisions regarding child arrangements, complete all the court forms and handle all court communication and hearings by yourselves.

This is a term which encompasses the violence, threats, and abuse inflicted upon a partner or family member to control, scare and frighten them.

This is the location of your permanent home where you live or intend to come back to. There are 5 types of domicile you can have in the UK. Domicile of origin - This is acquired through birth and is the country that your parents (mainly your father) were domiciled in when you were born. If your father was not married to your mother or is deceased at your birth then you will acquire the domicile of your mother. Your country of domicile can be different from your country of birth. Domicile of dependency - A child under the age of 18 years will acquire the domicile of their parent or legal guardian when they move and change their domicile. Domicile of choice - This is the country that an individual over 18 years choses to be domiciled in by living and settling in that country permanently. Deemed Domicile - If an individual has been a resident in the UK for 15 of the last 20years then they are deemed a UK domicile for tax purposes. Elected Domicile - For inheritance tax purposes a non-domicile individual who is legally married to a UK domicile individual can elect to be treated as a UK domicile. This was introduced in 06-04-2013.

This is the location which you intend to make a permanent home to live or come back to.

This is the location which a new born child has. This location is the fathers domicile. If the father is deceased or unknown then the location is the mothers domicile.

A 'draft' version of a court order/consent order or an agreement is a version that has NOT YET been approved and stamped by the family court. The draft version is like a guide that will assist court staff to write the legally binding consent order.

A dry nurse is a female who looks after a baby but does not breastfeed someone’s baby.

DVIP is also known as DVPP - the domestic violence perpetrators programme. This is a programme for men who have committed domestic violence, aimed to help them with anger management and behavioural change.

An education supervision order is a court order issued by the local authority imposing conditions and certain guidelines which you as the parent have to follow.

The EHC plan is a legal document done by your local authority. As the title states the EHC plan outlines your child’s specific educational, health and care needs, the help needed to support these needs, and how this support will help your child achieve. A EHC plan can only be done for a child or young person between 0 – 25 years of age. It will stay in place until your child leaves education or until your local authority deems it that your child does not need the plan anymore. Your child’s EHC plan will be annually reviewed. At this review changes may be made, or it may stay the same.

A child being educated at home is known as elective home education (home-schooling). Elective home education can be full time or part time.

A local authority social worker will ask the court to grant an emergency protection order where they believe a child is in grave imminent danger or harm. This order can last for up to 8 days during which the local authority social worker can apply to the court for a care order.

This includes constantly putting a child down, making them feel uncared for, unloved, giving them the silent treatment, and making them feel worthless. It also includes over protecting them and them witnessing domestic abuse.

This reference is given by your current employer if you are in a job or by your past employer if you are not. This reference will give your prospective employer an insight into your employment achievements, experience and abilities. For young school leavers you can ask someone who you babysit for or someone who you do odd jobs for as a referee.

This is the process, often court proceedings, to make sure one party complies with court directions.

An enforcement order is made by a court when a parent has breached a child arrangements order or when there is a complete breakdown of the child arrangements order. The court has to be completely satisfied that the parent in question has breached the child arrangements order and that their reasons have no grounds.

An EPQ qualification is taken alongside A-Level studies. An EPQ qualification is valued by higher education establishments because it demonstrates commitment to independent learning. EPQ is short for extended project qualification. It takes 120 hours to complete an EPQ. The project is spread over 6 months (usually October to April). It is all coursework. It is a big independent project of your own choice and can involve writing a long academic essay or report of 1000 – 5000 words. You can also make an artefact (music composition or a piece of artwork) and submit it alongside a shorter essay. You should write about your research, your ideas, and how you approached the project. You will be asked to give a short presentation about your project.

The word estate with regards to wills & trusts refers to all your assets, pensions, property, chattels, possessions, investments, life insurance policies, businesses, rights and licences that you own.

Estate planning in the process of sorting out your estate and who and how it will be distributed in the event of your death. Estate planning is important especially to minimise paying inheritance tax.

This is a international treaty of 18 articles detailing the protection of human rights of people across Europe. It was drafted in 1950 and came into force on 03-09-1953.

This is another name for proof. An individual must forward proof to the court to support any allegations they have made.

To make an application to the court without informing your ex-partner/the other party.

An exam (also sometimes referred to as an evaluation, assessment, or test) is an assessment of the subject and course that a student has been studying. It can be marked internally (by the establishment that educated the student) or externally (by an organisation not associated with the education establishment where the student studied).

This is the individual who deals with your estate and will when you pass away and is responsible for paying the inheritance tax to the government.

This is another word for evidence. It is attached to a witness statement or affidavit.

Expat is short for expatriate. An expat is an individual who lives in a different country than where they are a citizen. In some cases, an expat is the term given to an individual who relinquishes their citizenship of their native country and becomes a citizen of another country. EXAMPLE – A British citizen living and working in Spain/Hong Kong will be referred to as an expat.

A person who can write a report and offer an opinion on a topic in which they are an expert /have great knowledge and experience within.

A court decision or judgement made on the day of or straight after the hearing is called an extempore. Extempore means 'at the time'. It is often delivered orally at the end of the hearing. An extempore decision can sometimes be referred to as 'an off the cuff' decision.

Extra-curricular activities are activities that a student does which are not related to their field of study and are outside their chosen subject of study.

Extremism is when an individual has extreme religious and/or political views (vocal or active) which causes intolerance of other faiths, democracy, political views, liberty, and the law. Extremism can be violent and non-violent. Extremists can push and call for the death of members of the armed forces.

A face to face interview is one that is conducted in person. Both the applicant (you) and the representative from the prospective organisation or company are present in the same room (usually across a table) and will communicate directly with each other.

This is a hearing where a court will consider evidence regarding allegations. The court will decide whether this allegations are true based on the balance of probabilities. It is the job of the party making the allegations to prove they are true.

All local authorities in the UK should have a fair access policy to make sure that all children in the borough are offered a free state school place that is appropriate for them. This is especially important for looked after children (children in care), previously looked after children, children with special educational needs, disabilities and medical needs. State schools will often prioritise admission for these children.

A faith school must be approved by the local authority and agreed by parents and the community. A faith school will normally set their own admissions policy and usually accepts children from other faiths. A faith school has to follow the national curriculum but can choose their own religious education studies. They are inspected by Ofsted.

A family assistance order is a section 8 order made by the court where they will direct Cafcass or a social worker to assist and help a family and child where a child arrangement order has been made. A family assistance order is usually in place for 12 months and a report is normally provided for the court.

The family court is where family court cases are heard. Family courts have been previously referred to the county court or magistrates court.

This is the law passed by the UK government governing all aspects of family law.

The FDA is the first court hearing in the financial settlement case. At this hearing the judge will review all the divorce paperwork and will give directions for each party to comply with so to move the case onto the next hearing called the financial dispute resolution (FDR). If all the paperwork is in place and all financial disclosure has happened then the FDA hearing can be changed to an FDR hearing immediately so not to waste time and costs.

This is the second hearing in a financial settlement case where both parties will try and negotiate to reach a settlement with the help of the judge. At the FDR the judge cannot force a settlement upon either party.

Female genital mutilation is the removal of some or all of the external genitalia of a female for non medical reasons. It can also include injury that has been caused to the external female genitalia. Other names for female genital mutilation are ‘female circumcision’, ‘female genital cutting’ and ‘incision’. Female genital mutilation has no health benefits at all. It is an act that is done for cultural reasons. FGM is a form of child abuse.

The family courts take FGM very seriously. You can make an application to the family court to ask them to grant a FGM protection court order (FGMPO) to protect the individual concerned. A FGMPO is an injunction court order (it forbids someone from doing something).

This is the name of the first hearing in a child arrangements court case.

This is the court hearing at the end of a case where a final outcome is decided. Unless there is an appeal the case will be closed after the final hearing.

A final order is a court order stating that your marriage has ended.

A legal term used for the process of sorting out marital assets, finances and pensions during a divorce to financially provide for particular party or all parties. Financial provision is also known as ancillary relief, financial remedy or financial settlement.

A legal term used for the process of dividing marital assets, finances and pensions during a divorce. Financial remedy is also known as ancillary relief or financial settlement.

A financial resource is an asset such as liquid assets, reserves, money, or stash which forms part of the marital pot under section 75(2)(o) of the family law act because it has a future financial benefit.

This is the information written in a court order detailing all the agreements and decisions that have been made with regards to the division of marital assets, pensions and finances during a divorce.

Part time elective home-schooling is also called flexi-schooling. If your child is attending a school at the moment you can ask the headteacher if you can flexi-school your child. They may or may not give permission. If the headteacher refuses permission then all is not lost. Your local authority website will have lists of local schools/education establishments that will accept flexi-schooling.

A forced marriage protection order – FMPO – is an injunction issued by the court stopping someone taking you abroad, being violent towards you, taking steps towards marrying you/arranging your marriage or contacting you. The specifics of the court order will depend upon your case circumstances. You can apply for a forced marriage protection order if you are being forced into a marriage or you are already in a forced marriage. The court has the power to take away your passport if they feel this will keep you safe. A FMPO can be issued by the court at the same time as a police investigation or criminal proceedings taking place.

This is when an individual is being blackmailed, manipulated, coerced or forced into a matrimonial relationship against their will. There is a lack of full and free consent because this individual is being threatened and pushed to marry for reasons which are being enforced on them resulting in fear, guilt and shame. There can also be physical and sexual violence used to force an individual into submission. A forced marriage is also when an individual, who does not have the mental capacity to understand and agree with a matrimonial union, is encouraged to marry. Since 2017 all forced marriage victims have lifelong anonymity.

Fostering is the process of an individual(s) caring, looking after and bringing up a child as part of their family. The individual doing this is referred to as a foster carer.

A foundation degree was introduced in the UK by the department of education and employment in the year 2000 to help students progress in the specific career they want to pursue. This course is a mixture of academic study and practical work based experience in the field you are studying in. A foundation degree is studied at a higher education college. It is equivalent to the 1st and 2nd year of a bachelor’s degree at a university. A foundation degree is a 2 years full time course or a 3 – 4 year part time course. If you choose to and your course allows it you can continue the course for one more year and get a bachelor’s degree. There are no specific educational requirements to be accepted for a foundation degree. You can apply for a full time foundation degree through UCAS or contact the university or college directly yourself and ask the procedure if you want to study part time.

A foundation school is a maintained state school. It is funded by the local authority but run by the schools governing body. The governing body is in charge of employing teachers and staff. The school estate is owned by the governing body. A foundation school has freedom to make changes in the way they do things and can be influenced by businesses and religious groups. They have to follow the national curriculum and are inspected by Ofsted.

An free school is also referred to as an academy. It is a state school. It is not controlled or funded by the local authority. It is funded by the government (the department of education) and local sponsors such as businesses and faith groups. An academy has a lot of independence and can make changes (are flexible) to school hours, term dates and can follow a different curriculum. An academy or free school is operated by a non profit academy trust. A city academy is operated in the inner cities. These schools are for all children no matter what the ability of the child. An academy or free school can be set up by teachers, parents, businesses, a charity, a university, an independent school, and/or a faith group. Academies are inspected by Ofsted.

This is an court order that states that a child can be put up for adoption despite that fact there is parental opposition. In this case the adoption will go ahead without parental agreement.

This is the extreme form of a religion that strictly adheres to and upholds the basic principles and belief of the literal interpretation of religious books and scriptures.

A gap year is a 12 month rest from academic education or work. Its aim is so that an individual can pursue other things before embarking upon the next phase in their education or work.

This is the term used when one parent controls the other parents access to a child.

GCSE is short for the general certificate of secondary education. GCSE is a 2 year course which is studied in years 10 and 11. GCSE exams are taken at the end of year 11. A student will choose the subjects they would like to study in year 9. As of 2017 GCSEs are graded 1 – 9. A grade 4 is a standard pass in a subject A grade 5 is a strong pass in a subject.

GDPR is short for general data protection regulation. They are rules that make up the toughest privacy law across the European Union. The UK data protection act 2018 is the UK’s version of GDPR and implements GDPR rules. The data protection act 2018 superseded the 1995 UK data protection directive.

Gender based violence is abuse and violence perpetrated by one gender against another and encompasses rape, sexual assault, domestic violence and abuse. Under the sexual offences act 2003 sexual violence is a criminal offence.

A transgender child can suffer from great upset and stress caused by the fact their gender identity does not match their assigned gender identity. This can affect their mental state and all aspects of their well-being and life. The term used to describe this stress is gender dysphoria. A child can suffer from physical dysphoria where they are distressed about their physical appearance or social dysphoria where someone is using the wrong pronouns for them. Some transgender teenagers can suffer from depression, feel isolated, anxiety, self harm and have suicidal thoughts.

Gender identity is an individual’s internal feeling and belief that they are a male, female, neither or another gender. Gender identity is not the same as assigned gender

A gender pronoun set is a part of an individual’s gender expression and is specific to the individual you are talking about. Some examples are – he/him/his or they/them/theirs

Gender transition is the process whereby an individual will live as their gender identity and not as the gender they were assigned with. It is also known as the time period when gender reassignment occurs. Transition can happen with or without medical procedures and hormones. Any surgery that is part of gender transition and changes the body to align with an individual’s gender identity is referred to as gender affirming surgery (GAS), sex reassignment surgery (SRS) or gender confirming surgery (GCS)

With gestational surrogacy the surrogate mother has no genetic connection with the child. The sperm of a man fertilises the egg of a woman to form an embryo in a laboratory. This embryo is then implanted in the uterus of a surrogate woman so that the embryo can implant itself into the uterus wall and a pregnancy can start. This process is called in vitro fertilisation (IVF). The sperm and egg can be from the couple arranging the surrogacy or either sperm or egg can be from a donor if the couple are same sex for example.

According to the National Association of Gifted Children (NAGC) a high ability child is a gifted individual who demonstrates outstanding levels of aptitude (defined as an exceptional ability to reason and learn) or competence (documented performance or achievement in top 10% or rarer) in one or more domains. Their ability is well above their peers and age group.

This test is used to determine the ability of a child to understand their own court case and are they mature enough to consent/agree. It examines how a child deals with the process of making a decision by their ability to understand and assess risks.

A female who looks after children in their home, who is also their teacher and nanny.

A grade boundary is the scores/marks where one grade finishes and another starts. If we use the example above the grade boundary between a grade A and B is 74 marks.

A grammar school is a type of state foundation school. They are free to attend. They are operated by a governing body but funded by the local authority. They choose their students with regards to their ability to pass 11+ examinations in year 6. The 11+ exams cover verbal and non-verbal reasoning, English and Maths. Grammar schools have a set pass mark and they will offer a place to any student who passes this mark. Other grammar schools called super-selective grammar schools will only take children who achieve the top 11+ marks. Applications for grammar schools are made via the local authority admissions scheme

An individual who is appointed by the court to look after a child and the interests of the child.

A guardian ad litem is a person chosen by the court to care for and look after the child’s interests, wishes and rights during care proceedings where social services have made an application for a care order or if adoption proceedings are contested.

This is the country where you are settled, your main family life is, your children's schooling and your work is based.

A Hadkinson Order is made when an individual is in contempt of court many times and is not complying with court directions. The Hadkinson order will stop this individual from taking part in further proceedings until these directions are complied with.

The handover is when a the care and of a child passes from one parent to the other parent.

The behaviour of an individual towards another that causes mental and emotional distress. This can include derogatory comments, lewd propositions, touching, threats, assault and insults.

Harassment is where the continuous unwanted behaviour of an individual causes upset and distress to a person they are targeting because of their identity. Harassment can come in the form of rude facial expressions, physical gestures, offensive banter, verbal abuse, offensive comments on social media and graffiti. If a child is harassed because of a protected characteristic such as gender and skin colour then this is referred to as discrimination.

A hearing is a court meeting where a judge/magistrate deals with a case.

Hearsay is when one party gives evidence that someone else/a third party said something. Hearsay is inadmissible in courts because it cannot be proved and is unreliable. Hearsay are often statements intended to make the other party look unfavourable.

This curriculum concerns the unplanned beliefs, insights, values and things which are learned by students but are not planned or intentionally taught.

According to the National Association of Gifted Children (NAGC) a high ability child is a gifted individual who demonstrates outstanding levels of aptitude (defined as an exceptional ability to reason and learn) or competence (documented performance or achievement in top 10% or rarer) in one or more domains. Their ability is well above their peers and age group.

A high achieving child is one that performs at the top of their class, year group and peers. They are often called bright. They are interested, alert, attentive, observant, they learn with ease, work easily with advanced ideas, complete work on time, do well in exams, and achieve A grades,

The high court together with the court of appeal and the crown court are the senior courts in the UK. The high court has three divisions and they are a) Family division b) Chancery division c) Queens bench division.

The HMCTS is the government organisation that is responsible for the UK courts.

HNC is short for higher national certificate. It is a practical vocational training and learning course which gives you an education level 4 qualification. It is equivalent to the first year at university. The course is 1 year full time and 2 years part time. Students will study at a higher or further education establishment such as a university for a HNC. A student can go straight into work after completing their HNC or apply to study for a course at degree level. You can enter a degree in year 2 if you have completed your HNC. A HNC is ideal if a student wants to go straight into work in a chosen career.

HND is short for higher national diploma. It is a practical vocational training and learning course which gives a student an education level 5 qualification. It is equivalent to the first 2 years at university. Students will study at a higher or further education establishment such as a university for a HND. A HND full time course is 2 years and part time is 3-4 years. A student can go straight into work after completing their HND or apply to study for a bachelor’s degree. You can enter a degree in year 3 if you have completed your HND qualification. A HND is ideal if a student wants to go straight into work in a chosen career.

To leave your child ‘home alone’ means that your child is at home or another place (including a car) without an adult over 18 years of age present to supervise. If there are other minor children present then your child is still considered to be ‘home alone’ because an adult over 18 years of age is not present to supervise.

A child being educated at home is known as elective home education (home-schooling). Home schooling can be full time or part time.

This is a term used to describe a parents deep rooted hatred towards the other parent where they will not co-operate with a court order, court directions and sharing parental responsibility.

This is the Latin term which means 'in the absence of'. In Absentia refers to a court decision that has been made despite the fact that one party did not attend - it was made in their absence.

This is a Latin term which means 'in a chamber'. In camera refers to a hearing that the press and public cannot attend.

This is the Latin term for 'in a court'. In curia refers to a court hearing that is held in an open court. An open court is a court that anyone can attend.

This is the Latin term for 'in the place of a parent'. In loco parentis refers to an individual who takes on the responsibility of a parent.

This is the Latin term for 'in the womb'. In utero refers to an unborn child.

An in year application is one the school receives once the school term has started. Your local authority will inform you how to do this and will help you.

The main aim of an independent reviewing officer is to make sure local authority child services are taking the child’s wishes, their views and concerns into consideration when producing the care plan. An IRO is a very experienced social worker. They hold review meetings where care plans are discussed. An IRO will also help a child decide how they would like to convey their wishes and views to local authority child services and their social workers. An IRO may help a child attend a review meeting or if not will make sure the child’s wishes have been heard. The IRO must inform the looked after child that they are entitled to an independent advocate.

This is also known as a private school and is registered with the department of education. An independent school is funded by the school fees paid by the parents of the children who attend the school. The school is also funded via investments made by the school. Sometimes an organisation can sponsor the school. These schools have their own curriculums. They do not have to follow the national curriculum. Their admissions intake does not usually depend on a child’s ability though some independent schools can have entrance exams where they will choose the highest achievers. These schools have their own criteria on exclusions. Some independent schools are inspected by Ofsted, some by the independent schools inspectorate and some by the school inspection service.

This refers to contact between individuals that are not face to face. Indirect contact is contact by email, telephone, social media or letter.

The aim of an individual healthcare plan is to ensure a school can look after, make provisions and arrangements, and effectively support a child with medical needs at school. This plan will make clear what needs to be done, by whom, when and how the child should be supported. An individual healthcare plan is written with input from the student, the parents, the school and any healthcare professionals involved. An individual healthcare plan is often drafted when a child has a long term medical condition, a recurring medical condition, a life threatening medical condition, and where there could be emergency treatment needed. It is the head teacher who will make a decision if an individual healthcare plan is needed and order one to be written. The plan should be reviewed annually if not sooner but it depends on the child’s medical condition.

Inheritance tax is the compulsory tax paid to the government from your estate when you pass away. Inheritance tax is the paid on the value of the estate over a certain threshold set by the government.

A court order to stop an individual from doing a specific action.

These are unanticipated costs associated with bringing up a child.

The school is open to teachers and staff but not to enrolled pupils. It is when teachers go to school and undergo training and other duties such as planning and administration tasks. Of the 190 academic school days, schools can take 5 inset days. The dates are decided by the head teacher.

The intended parent(s) with regards to surrogacy is the individual or couple who intend to apply for a parental order once the child is born. The intended parents sometimes are the genetic parents of the child.

This is the Latin term for 'amongst other things'. Inter alia is when the court makes a variety of court orders at a hearing as well as the one that was asked for or needed. Inter alia refers to the fact that there are other things involved as well as the thing you are mentioning or are concerned about.

This is the Latin term for 'between parties'. Inter partes refers to a court hearing where all parties are in attendance.

Intercountry child adoption is the process of legally adopting a child from another country other than the one where you are habitually resident and bringing the child into that country to live with you as part of your family.

This is another word for an injunction. An injunction is a court order stopping an individual from doing something.

This is a temporary care order which allows the local authority to take a child into their care whilst care proceedings are being heard and are in progress. An interim care is often granted by the court where the local authority believes a child is in imminent danger or at risk. As with a care order when a court grants the local authority an interim care order they will get shared parental responsibility for the child. An interim care order normally lasts for about 2 months. After this it can be renewed after every 28 days as many times as the local authority requires.

An interim order is a court order issued and actioned whilst proceedings are ongoing. At the end of proceedings the interim order is either ended or replaced with a final order.

The international baccalaureate IB is a diploma qualification which is equivalent to the UK A-Level qualification. It is a course for 16 – 19 year old students that is studied across the world, is internationally recognised, and accepted by all UK universities.

An international school is a fee paying school where the following children can enrol to study: Children whose parents permanently live abroad. Children of expats Children of diplomats Most international schools will allow local children of the host country where they are based to apply to enrol in the school. International schools have the flexibility to set their own term dates and admissions criteria. They also offer an internationally recognised curriculum which focuses on international education. The qualifications gained by the students at the age of 16 years and 18 years will be recognised globally and be valid in other countries. International schools will teach their students about the different cultures of the world. This prepares the children to enter a globalised multicultural society.

In the UK, it is legal to use an international surrogate. In some countries, commercial surrogacy is legal. You can pay an international surrogate to carry your child. In some countries you may be able to have your name on the birth certificate however, in the UK it may not be recognised. Once the child arrives in the UK you can make an application for a parental order.

An intervenor is an individual who acts as a third party in legal proceedings.

This is when an individual passes away without a valid will so the court will have to distribute their estate according to the rules of intestacy. Only a married or civil partner can automatically inherit this estate. A person who passes away with no will is referred to as an intestate person.

This word refers to the level of contact an individual has with a child.

A job interview is a meeting between an applicant (you) and one or more representatives of the prospective organisation or company the applicant is applying to for a job. The purpose of the interview is to assess the applicant by asking questions to see if they are a suitable candidate for the job.

A job reference is when an individual you know has agreed to confirm details about you, vouch for you and will put forward their thoughts about a specific aspect of you. A job reference is required by most prospective employers

This word refers to a party becoming involved in a court case.

A judge is the individual who will make the decision in a court case.

A judgement is the final outcome of a court case.

This refers to the case where the same judge/magistrate should preside over case from start to finish.

This refers to the fact a judge can make a decision/court order that they think is appropriate - at their discretion.

This is the Latin term for 'he swears'. Jurat is the statement on an affidavit which states when, where and before whom it was sworn.

The term used to refer to whether a court has the power to make legal decision about a case. There are rules that govern whether a court can hear a particular case. Jurisdiction refers to the courts geographical area of influence.

This words refers to the philosophy and theory of law.

Another word for a magistrate.

This is when a child lives with, is cared for and protected by relatives or friends of the child that are not their parent.

A late deferral is one where you have applied for a university place and have been offered a place but now you would like to defer your place. UCAS, the university, college and course organisers were not informed at the time they made the offer to you. If this happens then it is up to the university, college, and course organisers if they can do this. It may be in your interest to call or email the university, college, or course organisers and explain your situation in detail so you can make an informed decision.

A late application is one that was not considered before the school made an offer and one that was submitted after the final submission date but before the first day of the academic term.

The process of taking out legal proceedings/legal action/taking a dispute to the court of law.

This term refers to an individual who presides over a court case but is not legally trained, works part time and is not paid. They are volunteers who can claim expenses. In court there will be a legal adviser present to help them with points of law.

This type of curriculum focuses on student learning, how would a student go about solving a problem and the type of things a student would like to learn.

A learning difficulty is when a child has a significant degree of difficulty learning things compared to others in the same age group.

A learning disability is a disability that makes it difficult for a child to use facilities in mainstream education institutions compared to others

This is the term used when an individual asks the court for consent/permission to take a child abroad when the other parent is making an objection.

A government scheme that will pay the legal fees of an individual claiming benefits or on a low income. Legal Aid is now only available for divorce cases with reference to domestic violence, child protection cases and mediation.

Contact is the legal right of a child to spend time and interact with their parent(s) or any person who has legal parental responsibility for them. It is not the legal right of the parent to spend time with their child. Contact is also the word used when parents separate/divorce and ‘contact’ arrangements need to be sorted out between the child and the non-resident parent (the parent that is not living day to day with the child). Contact should only be possible with a parent or any other individual if the child is safe and it is in the best interest of the child.

A legal guardian is an individual who has been appointed by a family court for the following reasons: To speak on behalf of a child. To take responsibility for a child’s wellbeing, health, safety and upkeep. To make decisions on behalf of a child such as schooling and discipline. To ensure a child is cared for and brought up in a proper fashion (their day to day needs are taken care of) To arrange for the care and upbringing of a child. To be a child’s legal representative. To manage the child’s assets To manage the child’s finances. To manage the child’s inheritance. Legal guardians are also known as conservator, curator and custodian.

This is the term used to describe the fact that communication between an individual and their legal representative such as a solicitor or barrister are confidential and cannot be divulged to anyone else.

This is a court order that is granted so a public body such as the child maintenance service can enforce payment.

A litigant is an individual involved in legal proceedings.

An individual involved in legal proceedings but not represented by a solicitor or barrister.

The term used to refer to the process of starting legal proceedings or taking legal action.

This is an individual who helps a child or a protected person in legal proceedings. A protected person is a person who are mentally incapable of making their own decisions and sorting out their own affairs.

The curfew bans the child from entering a public place between the hours of 9pm and 6am unless with an adult. A local child curfew can last for up to 3 months.

The local offer is a web page on your local authorities website that details all the provisions available for special educational needs and disability children and young people up to the age of 25 years. There will be information on support services available, social care and help and guidance on lots of issues. The local offer will also explain how to apply for a EHC plan for a child with special educational needs.

This is the word used for submitting/filing documents in court.

A looked after child is also known as a child in care. A looked after child is one that is cared for by your local authority child services for more than 24 hours. Care can include living in accommodation provided by them for more than 24 hours. A look after child will be in the care of local authority child services through a court order or with agreement of the parents or person with parental responsibility.

This is an individual who presides over simple court cases in their community. They are also referred to as justices of the peace. They are not legally trained, are volunteers, work part time and are unpaid. They can claim expenses. In court they will have a legal adviser present who will guide them on points of law. Magistrates sit in a group of three. The middle magistrate is known as the presiding justice and has been trained to be the chair. The outer two magistrates on either side of the presiding justice are called the wingers.

A managed move is a voluntary informal agreement between a child, their parents and the school where the child is being moved from and the school where the child is being moved to. The managed move is initially a trial move from one school to another under controlled circumstances, but with support, leading to a permanent move. It is an alternative to a permanent expulsion because there will be no expulsion recorded on the child’s school records. The child will have registration at both schools during the trial period until the move is permanent.

This is another name for a freezing order.

Maternity allowance is money you may be able to claim when you need to take time off during pregnancy or after giving birth.

This is a government grant called a sure start maternity grant. It is a one off payment of about £500.

A maternity nurse is a postnatal carer that helps a mother and her newborn child.

A McKenzie friend is an individual who can attend a court hearing with a litigant in person - a person who is involved in court proceedings and is not represented by a solicitor or barrister. Permission is required by the judge presiding over the hearing.

The process where a trained individual or group of individuals will help a separating or divorcing couple reach agreements and decisions about child arrangements and the division of marital assets, finances and pensions. The mediator(s) is independent and impartial. It is the law in the UK that all divorcing couples must attend mediation first to sort out matters and only if mediation fails can they start the court process of sorting out these matters. There are exceptions where couples are not required to attend mediation first and can come straight to the courts such as domestic violence.

At the end of the mediation, you will have a summary of the decisions made and agreed by both ex-partners. This is called an outcome statement or a memorandum of understanding. Now the mediation company or a solicitor can write yours and your ex-partner’s decisions onto a piece of paper called a draft consent agreement and send it to the court to be approved/formalised by the court and made into a legal consent order/court order.

Founded in 1946, Mensa is a non-political organisation based in the UK. It is for people who have a high IQ. Mensa was set up to nurture intelligence for the betterment of society. It will give gifted youngsters a chance to meet other gifted youngsters, attend special events organised by Mensa, access to special interest groups, and receive monthly magazines which will be interesting for individuals with a high IQ.

This refers to the worthiness or quality of a case to bring it to court to be heard.

A MIAM is a mediation information and assessment meeting. UK law specifies that all divorcing couples must attend mediation first to agree child arrangements and financial settlement. Only if this fails or you are exempt can you ask the courts o intervene. A MIAM is the introductory meeting where you will meet your mediator and they will inform you how mediation works and the rules, They will also ask you what you hope to achieve.

Million Plus is a group of modern UK universities founded in 1997. Members of this group were founded after 1992 or given university status after 1992.

This is a court order made in a foreign court outside of the UK that is the same as the court order made in the UK court. This mirror court order will allow the enforcement of the court order made in the UK court outside of the UK, because the UK court order is not enforceable outside of the UK.

This word refers to the incident when a judge makes the wrong decision, gives the wrong direction or directs a jury wrongly.

This is a psychological condition where an individual (a parent in this write up) pretends, fakes, invents, exaggerates and deliberately causes an illness or a disorder in their child.

A nanny is a paid childcare provider that does not live with the family.

The national curriculum is taught in most primary and secondary schools throughout the UK. It is implemented by the department of education to ensure conformity on standards of education, subjects and content being taught throughout the UK. The national curriculum in England was introduced in 1988 under the education reform act.

A national offer day is the date when the local authority informs parents if their child’s admission application for a primary or secondary school place has been successful or has been refused. Your local authority will inform you by letter and/or email of an offer for a primary school place on the 16th April after your application and on 1st March for a secondary school place.

An individual’s passport will show their nationality. Nationality refers to the country where you legally belong. You can acquire a nationality by birth, adoption, marriage or through the nationality of your parents. EXAMPLE – If you have a British passport then you are a legal national/citizen of the county of the United Kingdom.

Natural conception is when the process of the sperm fertilising the egg happens naturally in the human body after sperm has been released into the vagina through intercourse or any other means.

This is the failure to look after a child’s needs properly. Not providing them with food, shelter, clothing, medical care, health care, and not looking after their mental, emotional and physical needs.

The net capacity of a school is the total number of students a school can enrol to study at the school .

This is the term used to describe the fact that it may be better to NOT make a court order than to make one with regards to child arrangements.

This is when one party in the proceedings has not provided the information the court has asked for.

An injunction against a named person to stop them threatening violence against you and your children and to prevent them from coming to and near your home.

This is the parent that does not live with the child, the child spends less than 50% of their time with this parent and/or this parent is not responsible for the day to day care of the child.

The words non-binary are used to refer to individuals who do not class themselves as either male or female. A non-binary individual can feel they have both male and female elements to their being. Their gender falls outside the traditional genders male and female. Other words for a non-binary individual are gender variant, gender queer, gender expansive.

A non-resident parent is the parent that moves out of the family home and starts to live elsewhere. They do not live with the child. Another name for a non-resident parent is non-custodial parent or absent parent.

This is a document sent by the court to an individual informing them that their ex-partner has started proceedings.

A promise made by an individual in the court of law stating that they are telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

An injunction to be excluded from the property in which you both live. The court will decide who will be allowed to stay in the home or any part of the home.

Off-rolling is when a school removes a child from the school admissions register but does not permanently expel the child (the school does not formally exclude the child). A school may do this when it is in their best interest to do so. For example to make the school statistics look better. Off-rolling is also when a school pressures parents to remove their child from the school admissions register to benefit the school. In this way the school does not have to exclude the child from the school. Off-rolling is illegal.

Section 29(3) of the education act 2002 allows maintained schools to direct a disruptive child to continue their education off-site for a small time period. It is a way to improve the future behaviour of a child. Academies can also do this if they need to under the general powers given to them by the government. An off-site direction does not need the consent of the childs’ parents. However, the parents need to be kept abreast of all decisions regarding the off-site direction. If the child concerned has a EHC plan then the school will have to keep the local authority updated as well as the parents. An off-site direction has to be reviewed regularly with parental involvement.

This is when the court will deal with a case application or matter without a court hearing.

Online bullying encompasses the following: Sending rude and hateful messages online Making rude and hateful comments on social media posts Sending threatening messages online. Embarrassing a person online in front of other users. Pretending to be another person to misrepresent them online Sharing and posting indecent and shameful images and videos online in order to embarrass someone. Making a hate website targeting someone. Deliberately removing or excluding a person from an online group to cause them to feel isolated, not wanted, alone and unliked. Online bullying can happen to anyone anywhere and anytime. At times it can be relentless and overwhelming. Often the perpetrators are anonymous and cannot be traced. Another name of online bullying is cyber bullying.

Online child abuse is any type of child abuse that occurs online/on the internet. The following are types of child online abuse: Cyber bullying Child grooming Emotional abuse Emotional blackmail. Sexual abuse Cyber crime Cyber sex trafficking Harassment and threats Hate speech Sexual exploitation Online child abuse is virtual, often anonymous and happens from a distance. Online child abuse is also known as cyber molestation. It can happen on your child’s mobile phone, laptop, desk top, tablet and games console.

This is the process when an individual can pretend to be someone else, develops a relationship with the child and then tricks, lies, pressures, manipulates, coerces, blackmails or forces them to participate in sexual activity. The sexual activity can involve the following: Meeting with them outside Sending sexual images Sending sexual videos Communicating in a sexual manner Online child grooming is a form of child sexual exploitation and online child abuse.

Online creeping happens when an individual follows everything another person does online. The person whose posts, social media and online life is being followed is often unaware this is happening.

Online doxing happens when an individual posts and reveals private information including images of another person with the intent to cause harm or shame. Another name for online doxing is online outing.

Online flaming happens when an individual deliberately starts an online argument or fight by sending inflammatory and harsh messages and comments that are designed to fuel a fight. Online flaming often happens on social media in a public domain. The individual who is flaming is known to the person they are trying to start a fight with.

Online masquerading happens when an individual makes up an online identity to protect their real identity while they stalk and bully someone online.

Online porn is a video, image, article or text on the internet that is sexual in content. This can be the showing of a human being without any clothes on or very limited clothing where their genitals can be seen. Porn is also the showing of people in sexual acts. Porn is short for pornography. Online porn is also known as internet pornography.

Online stalking is when an individual is harassed with the use of the internet and electronic devices. Online stalking can leave a person feeling bullied, blackmailed, scared, frightened, and threatened. Another name for online stalking is cyber stalking.

Online trolling happens when an individual sends constant unwanted messages and social media comments to someone online. The messages and comments can be rude, abusive, sexual in nature and upsetting. The individual doing this is called a troll and they are often not known to the person they are sending messages and comments to.

An open court is where a case is being heard and dealt with where the public and the press can attend and report on. All family cases in the UK are NOT heard in an open court.

The open university is a process where an individual can study for a degree which is different from a regular university. The differences are: Unlike a regular university student where they attend lectures and classes in person, the open university student studies using online classes and/or printed materials. Tutorials can be available online The student can be anywhere in the world, even at home. It is cheaper. It is flexible. The open university is also known as distance learning. You can study full-time or part-time.

An out of age cohort child or a summer born child is one that becomes the right age for the year group just after the date when the year ends. An example of this is when a child reaches the right age for admission into a class in year 7 on 31st August but they will be admitted into a year 6 class.

At the end of the mediation, you will have a summary of the decisions made and agreed by both ex-partners. This is called an outcome statement or a memorandum of understanding. Now the mediation company or a solicitor can write yours and your ex-partner’s decisions onto a piece of paper called a draft consent agreement and send it to the court to be approved/formalised by the court and made into a legal consent order/court order.

This term is used to describe the fact that all court cases have to dealt with fairly, cost effectively and efficiently.

Paedophilia is a psychiatric condition or disorder whereby an individual is sexually attracted and aroused by a prepubescent child (a child who has not reached puberty). Although, in general terms in society, someone who engages in any form of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 years is also referred to as a paedophile.

A paper hearing is a hearing held in private where you or your ex-partner or any legal representative are not required to be present. The judge will make a decision in private.

This is an individual who works alongside and assists a solicitor as part of a legal team but is not a qualified solicitor. A paralegal has a great deal of knowledge of the law. A paralegal will write legal letters and prepare legal documents, they will do research for the solicitor, interview clients and witnesses and prepare bundles for court.

Parental alienation is a debunked theory that is now synonymous with post-separation abuse and aims to silence abuse victims, whether adults or children.

Parental responsibility is a term used to describe the responsibilities, authority, duties, powers and legal rights a parent should fulfil for a child. Parental responsibility is defined in the CHILDREN ACT 1989 ACT SECTION 3.1 passed by the government. It says: In this act “parental responsibility” means all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority which by law a parent of a child has in relation to the child and his property.

Under section 19 of the anti-social behaviour act 2003, your child’s school and your local authority can help you sort out your child’s behaviour and get them back into school. The school or your local authority can make a formal agreement plan called the parenting contract with you. The local authority or the school will set out what help they can give you to help your child attend school on a regular basis. You (as the parent) have to agree to act on what directions are written in the parenting contract for a set time. This contract is intended to help you improve your child’s school attendance or find an alternative provision.

If your local authority feels that they have tried to engage with you about your child to find a solution, had meetings, tried to provide help and have entered into a parenting contract with you but still your child is missing school and has irregular attendance then they may take you to court and ask the court to issue a parenting order. The court may also issue a parenting order if you and your child are not complying with a school attendance order (explained below). A parenting order can be enforced by the police and the local authority. You can appeal against the parenting order to the crown court. Failure to comply with a parenting order can result in a £1000.00 fine. A parenting order usually contains directions for the parents to follow for up to 1 year and requires the parents to attend parenting classes if not already done so.

A court case is referred to as part heard when the hearing is stopped due to lack of time for example and therefore has to be concluded at another time.

The objective of pastoral care in schools is to look after the physical and emotional wellbeing of students with regards to most aspects of school life. The school staff are responsible for providing pastoral care for students, however the school should have a designated teacher who is in charge of pastoral care. Pastoral care is not simply about supporting the students with their academic achievements, it aims to help students at the school feel safe, happy and to achieve their full potential. Pastoral care encourages an atmosphere of learning, tolerance, respect for others, friendship, equality, and students to access opportunities, all helping to improve student attendance. It also aims to help disadvantaged and vulnerable students to access education by putting provisions in place, celebrating diversity, and having all safeguarding procedures in place to provide a child-centred school environment for learning.

A paternity test is a DNA test which can show and prove that a man is the biological father of a child. A paternity test is very important when there is concern about whether a man is the biological father of a child/individual. This can affect their parental responsibility, duties and responsibilities towards the child.

A pathway plan is a plan especially for looked after children aged 16 – 17 years of age that very soon will not be under the care of the local authority anymore. The plan intends to help a looked after child to continue their further education, enter higher education, start training or a job. A pathway plan is part of a child’s personal education plan (PEP) if the child is old enough. Any help, guidance or provisions a 16 – 17 years old looked after child will need will be detailed in their pathway plan.

This is a statement at the front/top page of a court order stating that non compliance with the court order will result in some sort of punishment - often prison or a fine.

This is the Latin term for 'through lack of care or carelessness'. Per incuriam refers to when a court passes judgement or make an order but the law has not been followed or has been ignored.

This occurs when an individual lies in court under oath or when they have affirmed they are telling the truth. Perjury is an offence.

A social worker and/or your local authority will produce a personal education plan for every looked after child. This must be done within 20 school days of when the child became a looked after child. As stated above the personal education plan is a part of the overall care plan for a looked after child. A personal education plan forms part of a looked after child’s school records. It is reviewed 3 times a year.

This reference will be given by an individual who knows you well in a social or relaxed setting outside of school and work. This type of reference will show your prospective employer what you are like as a person, maybe some information on your skills, and your character.

A personal statement is a short personal summary about yourself and what you bring to the job or course you are applying for. It highlights your relevant skills, strengths, and experience. It can accompany a CV when applying for a job (if the company asks for one). It can also accompany an application form such as when students apply for a university place through UCAS. Many universities ask for personal statements as part of their UCAS application and entrance procedure.

Another word for a court application that you submit to the court to start proceedings or resolve matters.

Another word for applicant - the person who submits an application form to the family court to start proceedings.

Physically abusing a child means hitting, pulling hair, burning, suffocating, violently shaking or poisoning them to name a few. It also includes bringing about an illness in a child.

A local authority social worker will make an application to the court to grant a placement order for a child to be put up for adoption. This will happen where no other suitable accommodation has been found for the child.

This is an individual who starts court/legal proceedings against another individual, group of individuals, company or organisation.

The police can keep a child in custody for up to a total of 96 hours and then they will have to either charge them or let them go free. The court will allow a set period of time, initially 12 hours then an extra 24 hours then an additional 24 hours then more until cumulatively a total of 96 hours is reached.

If a child is 16 years of age and over the police can take fingerprints and photos without anyone’s consent. If a child is 15 – 16 years of age, the child and their parents will jointly have to agree to the fingerprints being taken. If the child is under 14 years of age the parents consent is required.

Unless there is risk of another crime being committed or there is danger to life, the police should only interview the child if the parents or another adult is present. The interview should be recorded (written or taped) and your child has the right to see or hear the recording after the interview.

A search of a child can be done by a police officer. At all times during the search the child has the right to have their parent(s) present. If clothing is to be removed then the search must be done by an individual of the same gender. Any intimate searches must be done in private.

Porn is short for pornography. This is the showing of a human being without any clothes on or very limited clothing where their genitals can be seen. Porn is also the showing of people in sexual acts.

Your position statement will be read by the judge/magistrate and your ex-partner/their solicitor and barrister before a court hearing. It is often 1-2 A4 pages long and concisely details your position for a particular court hearing. It argues your viewpoint and makes your stand clear. It tells the court what you want the court to do and why. Your position statement should NOT include evidence because the court will already have your witness statement and evidence if you have made an application to the court, or when the judge/magistrate ordered this hearing and asked for you and your partner to send in your witness statements and evidence by certain dates. Your position statement also ensures that important points are not missed during the hearing, especially if the hearing is rushed. If you want to write a position statement before every hearing, please do so. This will help you in the hearing.

Positive action is something that you can do on your own free will to help a person with a protected characteristic if they have particular needs, are disadvantaged, and are under-represented somewhere.

A pre-school nursery provides child-care for children aged between 6 weeks – 5 years of age. They can be state funded or a private one charging fees. Nurseries offer professional childcare and early childhood education before a child enters compulsory education at age 5 years at a primary school. A nursery can offer full-time or part-time childcare, are open for longer hours and available for most of the year, not just term-time. Another name for pre-school nursery is creche, pre-primary school or play school.

A pre-school playgroup is an Ofsted registered childcare facility that provides care for children under the age of 5 years. They can provide between 2-3 hours of care a day during term-time. A playgroup is less formal than the pre-school experience and education provided at a nursery. They do activities such as reading stories to children, art, craft, sand and water play, adventure play, music and movement, as well as encouraging children to socialise with each other. The playgroups Ofsted certificate of registration and public liability insurance will be on display on the facility.

This is when a judgement in a court case is widely recognised and becomes an example how other courts could make their decisions in similar cases. It can become the basis of future decisions and judgements.

A previously looked after child is one that was in care and looked after by the local authority but has now returned home, been adopted or turned 18 years of age so is no longer in care.

This is the individual who has/is given the main responsibility for caring and protecting a child.

Under section 66 of the children act 1989 private fostering is when a child lives with an individual for more than 28 days who is not the child’s parent(s), relative or has parental responsibility for the child. Under section 105 of the children act 1989 a relative is classified as siblings, step parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. The private foster carer however can be an extended family member such as a cousin. The private foster care has to be for more than 28 days as stated above and continuous. If there is an occasional break it can be for no more than 27 days.

This is also known as an independent school and is registered with the department of education. A private school is funded by the school fees paid by the parents of the children who attend the school. The school is also funded via investments made by the school. Sometimes an organisation can sponsor the school. These schools have their own curriculums. They do not have to follow the national curriculum. Their admissions intake does not usually depend on a child’s ability though some independent schools can have entrance exams where they will choose the highest achievers. These schools have their own criteria on exclusions. Some independent schools are inspected by Ofsted, some by the independent schools inspectorate and some by the school inspection service.

This is a legal right where communication between a law firm and a client for example can be kept confidential. Privilege protects sensitive and confidential information from being disclosed. Privilege also gives individuals the right not to answer questions or disclose information.

This is the Latin term for 'for the public good'. Pro bono refers to legal services or representation provided by a barrister, solicitor or law firm free of charge to help individuals on low income or benefits or cannot get legal aid.

A probate is a legal document giving an individual the right to distribute the estate of a person who has passed away in accordance with their will. Normally a person who is named as the executor in a will, needs to apply for probate.

An individual who's job it is to deliver court papers, often face to face, to a person whom the court wants to send them to. The process server will need to complete a certificate of service form to inform the court that this has been done.

This reference is given by an individual who knows you on a professional level and will give insight into your professional ability and capabilities.

Out of 100 children, approximately 0.1% are a profoundly gifted child. This is a rare child that is extraordinarily gifted such as the can read a full text of play the violin before nursery age. A profoundly gifted child may score 99.9% in tests, have a very high IQ and are gifted intellectually

A prohibited item is one which is not allowed to be brought onto the school premises.

A prohibited steps order is a section 8 order made by the court where the order stops you or your ex-partner from doing a particular act, such as, taking the child abroad if that is not in the best interest of the child. 

A protected characteristic is one which can be the reason or cause for discrimination. The equality act 2010 identified 9 protected characteristics of individuals by which they can be discriminated against. They are: Age Gender/sex Sexual orientation Religion Disability Pregnancy or being on maternity leave Gender reassignment Being married or in a civil partnership Race – skin colour, nationality, ethnicity, national origin It is against the law to discriminate against anyone due to any of the above protected characteristics in education. It is against the law to discriminate against anyone who associates with anyone of the above protected characteristics. It is also against the law to discriminate against anyone who has complained about discrimination or supported someone who has complained about discrimination.

A provision map is often part of the SEN support plan and also written by the SENCO. The provision map details the support your child gets, how this support impacts your child and how much it costs the school financially.

Puberty is the process or period of time in a child/teenager’s life where they experience physical changes in their bodies. This happens when they are sexually maturing from a child to an adult who is able to sexually reproduce. Children will also experience emotional changes as well. Girls go through puberty between ages 10 – 14 years. Boys go through puberty between ages 12 – 16 years.

This is a barrister whom members of the public can contact and instruct directly without going through a solicitor.

These are cases brought to the family court by the local authority mainly with regards to children.

In England and Wales a public school is an exclusive fee charging independent (private) school. The majority are single sex schools and entrance is often based on ability and achievement. Eton, Charterhouse, Westminster, and Harrow are public schools. The majority of public schools are boarding schools.

Since 2011 pupil premium is money/funds forwarded to schools from the government to help the most disadvantaged and underprivileged children at the school to attain academic achievements. The disadvantage can be due to family finances, a child being local authority care or a family breakdown and upheaval.

Pupil referral units are state schools that educate children who are unable to attend a mainstream school or college. If these children do not attend a pupil referral unit they’re chance of getting an education is very limited

A putative father is the presumed father of an illegitimate child. This relationship has no legal basis and has not been legally proved or otherwise.

A QC is a very senior barrister who is regarded as an expert with lots of experience in a particular field of law.

The passing or completion of an exam or course where a student is recognised as a practitioner of that subject or activity at that level of study.

This happens when an individual is brainwashed, encouraged, and manipulated to develop and believe in extreme views in support of terrorist organisations.

Ratio is the Latin tern for 'rationes decidendi'. Ratio is the term used to describe that part of a court order or judgement where the judge writes their reasons for coming to the decision(s) they have made. These reasons may set a precedent for future cases.

A recital is written in a court order (often at the beginning) and is different court directions which are also written into a court order (in the main body of the order). A recital is a sentence(s) about issues that a court cannot order or enforce. An example of this is 'neither party should disrespect each other in front of the children'. Court directions are enforceable.

This curriculum is implemented by a particular government, education authority or professional organisation so that specific topics, subjects and courses are taught. There are specific learning areas, academic standards, and outcomes that are required.

This is a legally trained individual who can act as a judge on a part time basis where they are required to assist parties to prepare for trial, manage cases and give decisions in contested trials. A recorder is often a part time circuit judge.

This is the word used to excuse a judge/magistrate from presiding over a case because of conflict of interest or there maybe not be able to make an impartial decision. An example of this could be that one party is known to the judge.

Red Brick is a group of 6 universities, all of whom are in the Russell Group. These 6 red brick universities focus more on technical subjects and are located in the major 19th century industrial cities of England.

A referee is the word used to describe the individual who has agreed to give you a reference.

The REMO unit is a government body that oversees child maintenance orders for those children whose parent(s) lives abroad in a REMO country.

This is the Latin term for 'a matter judged'. Res judicata refers to a case that has been tried and cannot be tried again.

This word is used to describe when a judge assigns a case so that it is only heard by that particular judge and no other.

A reserved decision made by a judge is made later (many days) after the court hearing and is often given in written form. The judge will put thought and preparation into a reserved decision. A reserved decision is different from an extempore decision where the judge will give an oral decision straight after the court hearing.

Residence order is an old name for a child arrangements order which details where and with whom a child shall live after a divorce or separation.

The parent with whom a child lives with on a day to day basis/the majority of the time.

Residential care is when a child (who cannot live with their own family) is cared for in local authority accommodation where many children are resident. It is a form of group care. Residential care is also a way of providing a short term break for a disabled child. Residential care is often provided when other types of care such as kinship care or foster care have been unsuccessful.

The individual whose ex-partner has submitted an application form to the court to start proceedings. The court will write to the respondent to inform them an application has been made, ask them to respond to the application, comply with court directions or to attend court.

Restorative justice is where the perpetrator and the victim meet so the victim gets a chance to inform the perpetrator what they feel and how the crime has affected them. The process has been found as a tool to rehabilitate the perpetrator.

This is a court order which stops an individual from coming near or contacting another.

Revenge porn is the sharing, distribution, and showing of private sexual images and videos of another individual without their permission with the aim of making them suffer.

This is the right an individual has to address a judge and examine a witness in the court room.

A role model is an individual whom another person, especially children, looks up to, respects, holds in high esteem and wishes to emulate their level of achievements and behaviour. A good role model has a positive effect and influence on others. A good role model is very important because children are very easily influenced.

A Russell Group was formed in 1994 and comprised 17 universities. Today in 2022 there are 24 elite internationally recognised members, the majority of which are at the top of the UK university league tables. The focus on research and academic achievement of these universities is high. The Russell Group since 2007 is an official organisation. Universities in the Russell Group have the highest rates of students completing their degrees. Many employers regard a degree from a Russell Group university more prestigious because they have high entrance requirements and lower student acceptance rates. The institute of fiscal studies has shown that graduates from Russell Group universities earn approximately 10% more than graduates from non Russell Group universities.

This is a report produced by Cafcass in preparation for the FHDRA court hearing for child arrangements. Previously this report was called a schedule 2 letter.

SATS is short for standardised assessment tests. They are also referred to as national curriculum tests and are compulsory. These exams/tests are not coursework related. They are taken by students in primary school in year 2 and then again in year 6. SATS assess the educational developments of students in comparison to their peers and nationally and their weaknesses and strengths in academia. SATS are used as a guide for the government, local authority, parents and students to ascertain the standard of a school. The SATS taken in year 2 are called KS1 SATS. Students sit the maths and reading SATS in May. Teachers will also evaluate the listening, speaking, writing, and science education of the student. From 2023 all schools can choose if they wish their students to sit these exams. The SATS taken in year 6 are called KS2 SATS. Students are examined on maths, punctuation, spelling, grammar and reading. Teachers will also evaluate the listening, speaking, writing, and science education of the student. The spelling, punctuation and grammar element of these SATS tests are referred to as SPaG.

All education establishments including schools in the UK have an admissions policy which details the criteria they have set for deciding which children will be enrolled into the school. These admissions criteria can be set by the school itself or by the local authority.

A school attendance order is a court order obtained by your local authority stating that you must return your child to the school written in the court order.

Your child’s school will have a behaviour policy. This policy will detail how the school expects the children to behave on the school premises, on school trips and outside of the school away from the premises. It details standards of behaviour and what sanctions can be given when these behavioural standards are disobeyed. The school behaviour policy must be available to all students, parents and school staff. Some schools are required to publish their behaviour policy on their website.

It is a general term which can be used for both temporary suspension of a child from school or the permanent expulsion of a child.

A school expulsion is a permanent removal of a child from the school. The child’s name will be removed from the school admissions register. The child will have to enrol in a new school elsewhere. The school must remove a child from the admissions register within 5 school days of the child leaving the school.

A school holiday is a set time during the year where the school will be closed for academic education and will not be providing any lessons for pupils.

A school suspension is a fixed period of exclusion from the school premises. It is a temporary removal of a child from school. This is usually for discipline reasons.

A school term is a set academic period of time during which lessons and education is provided by the school for pupils enrolled at the school. Usually there are 3 set school terms which make up the school year. The school year for most schools starts in the first week of September and ends in the third week of July

The term ‘school transition’ is used to describe the movement of a child of compulsory school age to, from, between and through different phases, aspects and points in their education life

This is a document in a table format on which domestic violence allegations are written down by one partner. A copy of the scott schedule is sent to the court, Cafcass and the other partner. This partner them must complete their section of the scott schedule and respond to these allegations.

This is the court stamp that is put on on court order to indicate that it has been approved by the court.

This is a report ordered by the court where there are serious concerns about the child/children’s safety during the child arrangement proceedings. There are fears the child/children may be at risk of harm. The section 37 report is either done by Cafcass or an experienced social worker and they will conduct a thorough investigation. This report will allow the court to determine what further action needs to be taken to protect the child/children, for example, a temporary care order or a supervision order. It takes about 8 weeks to prepare this report. During these 8 weeks, the child can be placed in temporary care. If a child is interviewed for a section 37 report, they are usually accompanied by their parent. If Cafcass or the local authority feel that a care or supervision order is not required, they must state their reasons.

This report is ordered by the court to be carried out by Cafcass or experienced social workers. An assessment or investigation must be conducted when a child/children are in police protection, are the subject of an emergency protection order, or the child/children are suffering serious harm. This report must be completed within 45 days. Cafcass or the social worker will obtain reports from the police, health visitors, doctors, and the school. They will also talk with the parents. Normally, if a child is interviewed for a section 47 report they are interviewed alone.

This is also called a welfare report. A section 7 report by Cafcass is a detailed report ordered by the court during child arrangement proceedings where you and your ex-partner cannot agree on issues concerning your child/children. This report will contain facts and details guided by the court and looks into issues that the court has asked Cafcass to report on. It will take into account the child’s/children’s wishes, needs, and feelings. The child/children will be interviewed most probably alone, depending upon the child/children’s ages. Cafcass may also speak to family members, teachers, counsellors, and health professionals in preparation of this report. The report will contain welfare issues, parental problems, family issues, and Cafcass recommendations about what they think should happen going forward. It takes 12 weeks for Cafcass to prepare a section 7 report.

This is a court order that stops an individual involved in the proceedings from making further applications until the end of the proceedings or until when the court order states. This order is also called a barring order.

Self harming is the term used to describe when an individual resorts to hurting themselves as a way of managing, coping and dealing with intense emotions, anger, thoughts and feelings of fear and distress that may be overwhelming them.

SEN is short for special educational needs.

The SEND code of practice section 6.79 says that all schools must publish an annual sen information report outlining how they support and make arrangements for children with special educational needs and disabilities and medical needs at their school.

Support for children with special educational needs, disabilities and medical needs are provided through a system called sen support.

If your child is being given sen support the SENCO will write a sen support plan for your child. The sen support plan will be specific for your child. It will discuss their goals and aims and how the school can help them. Your child’s sen support plan will include details about targets that should be met. These targets are SMART targets. These targets are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. The SENCO can ask the school to provide specialist support from outside the school such as an educational psychologist, speech support, language and behaviour support.

The SEN support department of schools and nurseries is run by a teacher called the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO). It is the responsibility of the SENCO to provide as much support as possible for children. The SENCO will work with other teachers in the school, organise learning aids, help in exams, and provide support especially catered for the children they are looking after. The SENCO will also keep a record of all the help they can provide and keep an eye on progress.

SEND is short for special educational needs and disabilities.

To serve someone means they must receive a copy of your court application form and any other relevant court papers that require them to be informed, respond, comply with directions and/or attend court.

This is when the court dismisses an existing court order as if it had never been made in the first place.

Sexting is a relatively new activity which has arisen in the digital age and gained traction as technology expands with more younger users. Sexting is carried out by children under the age of 18 years of age. Sexting encompasses the following: Sending a sexually explicit text message. Sending a provocative audio clip. Sending a naked or partly naked image or video. Posting a naked or partly naked image or video on social media Live streaming a sexual act (videos or images) on social media, forums or on group chats. Sharing naked or partly naked images and videos with many others via technological devices. Sharing, posting or live streaming any other indecent image or video (please see below what is considered indecent) Sexting is also known as nude image sharing.

This is when a child is coerced or forced into any sexual activity. Sexual abuse includes online grooming of young children, showing a child pornographic images, a child taking part in pornography, and taking and sharing indecent and nude pictures of children.

Sexual assault on a date is when a sexual act is inflicted upon someone without their consent. The term sexual assault can also includes forcing someone to witness a rape or sexual assault.

Sexual harassment is unwelcome attention and behaviour of a sexual nature towards an individual. It can be direct, indirect, online and through social media. Sexual harassment can leave an individual feeling scared, humiliated, and intimidated.

An individual’s sexual orientation refers to their self-identification in relation to the gender to which they are sexually attracted. Sexual orientation words are heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, gay, lesbian, straight, pansexual.

A sexually transmitted disease (STD) is a virus, bacterium, microorganism or parasite infection. A sexually transmitted disease can also be commonly referred to as a sexually transmitted infection (STIs).

This is the term used when a mother can end her maternity leave and pay early so that both parents can divide parental leave between them. Both you and your partner are allowed to share up to 50 weeks on leave and 37 weeks of pay.

This happens when a child's living arrangements is shared between both parents equally and the child lives with each parent at different days and times of the week.

This is the Latin tern for 'without a day'. Sine Die refers to the situation where a court hearing is adjourned without a new set date and time to continue the hearing. It is left open.

A single parent is an individual who has the parental responsibility of a child but does not have a spouse or live in partner to share the parental responsibilities on a full time basis. A single parent has the same workload as a married parent except they are carrying out the workload by themselves. A single parent is also known as a lone parent.

This is a written document where the outline of a case is detailed. It summarise the main issues that need to be addressed and the main arguments in a case. A skeleton argument is often prepared before a hearing.

This is the term used to describe a law suit where the primary objective is to silence, harass, intimidate and financially and psychologically exhausting someone from criticising and taking legal action against you. This is normally taken out by firms and organisations to supress someone from taking out legal action. This is a form of legal abuse.

A sleep over is a social event where your child spends the night sleeping at their friends home or the other way round. There may be more than one child that participates in the sleep over. Another name for a sleep over is a slumber party.

This is the rule that is used where a judge can correct a court order or judgement because a mistake, omission, typing error or accidental slip has occurred. Under this rule notice does not need to be given to the other side nor is there a requirement for a hearing so the correction can be made. The party that has noticed the mistake can make an application for correction without notice.

Smacking is a form of physical discipline. Smacking can include spanking and slapping. Smacking is hitting with the palm of the hand on the body except the face. Spanking is hitting with the palm of the hand on the buttocks or back of the thighs. Slapping is hitting with the palm of the hand on the face.

A legally qualified individual who manages your case, gives you legal advise and represents you.

Attended by children with educational learning disabilities or special educational needs. Some of these schools are independent and some are funded by the local authority. The majority follow the national curriculum. Children who attend these schools usually have an education health and care plan (EHC plan). An EHC plan used to be called a statement of special educational needs. Special educational needs schools specialise in the following: Sensory and physical needs. Social, emotional and mental health. Cognition and learning. Communication and interaction.

Special educational provisions are materials, adaptations, special equipment, technology, and things provided to children with special educational needs, disabilities and medical needs so they can access the national curriculum, lessons and study that are available to other children without these needs.

Under the children act 1989 and the adoption and children act 2002 a special guardianship is where a child under 18 years of age is placed with an individual(s) other than his/her parents to look after and care for them for the long term. The child may have been living with these individual(s) for some time before the family court ordered a special guardianship. A special guardian will make all the day to day decisions for the child, provide for the child, and look after the child’s safety, full time care, and wellbeing.

A specialist school is a state community school or academy that focuses on 1 or 2 subjects such as technology or arts alongside other academic subjects. They follow the national curriculum.

A specific issue order is a section 8 order made by a court where an agreement is not being reached between you and your ex-partner regarding a particular issue, such as, schooling, surname, medical treatment, going abroad, or stopping contact. Anyone with parental responsibility can apply for a specific issue order. Extended family can apply, but they need permission from the court first. They will ask for permission from the court. In some instances, a specific issue order can last until the child is 16 years or 18 years.

To spike your drink means that a chemical mind altering substance including alcohol has been put into your drink without your consent leaving you vulnerable to rape, sexual assault or theft.

This is an free of charge online programme to help separated parents co-parent effectively, administer a child arrangement order and deal with child issues constructively.

This curriculum repeats some of the content of a subject throughout the students’ education years. Each time the topic is studied in greater depth.

This is the term used when a court hearing is in two parts. The first part will often be a fact finding hearing where evidence is gathered and assessed regarding allegations made. The second hearing is where the judgement or decision is made based on the facts found at the first hearing.

Stalking is a form of harassment that is repeated or done consistently. In other words it has happened more than once. It can also be the case where the perpetrator is not listening to you asking them to stop. Stalking can involve the following: Sending repeated unwanted emails and letters to an individual Repeatedly calling an individual Following an individual on a constant basis and hanging about where they will be. Sending unwanted gifts Cyber stalking online, in a chat room, and on social media. Sending many abusive text messages. Turning up uninvited to your home again and again. Spying on you Often the perpetrator can be obsessive and fixated with you. Stalking is illegal and you can report the perpetrator.

A state boarding school is free to attend but fees are charged for boarding (staying there). Some state boarding schools are academies and free schools. A few are operated by the local authority. There are charities that can help a family with the fees of boarding.

This is a form sent to the court to inform them that an individual has been served/given/they have received a copy of an application and/or other relevant court documents that require them to be informed, respond, comply with a direction or attend court. The person who has served the individual that needed to be served must complete this form.

A paragraph at the end of a written statement stating that the person who wrote the content of the statement believes it to be the whole truth and nothing but the truth to the best of their knowledge. This paragraph must be signed and dated. A solicitor can also sign a statement of truth on your behalf.

A written law passed by parliament that originated from decisions made in courts throughout the country. A statute is an act of parliament.

Statutory adoption leave is the permitted time an employee is allowed to take off when they are adopting a child. This also applies to having a child through surrogacy.

This is the law that has been passed by acts of parliament.

Statutory maternity leave is the permitted time an employee is allowed to take off when they are pregnant or have just had a baby.

Statutory paternity leave is the permitted time an employee is allowed to take off when they are the biological father or their partner has had a baby themselves, through surrogacy (if they consented to the surrogacy) or through adoption.

This is the word used to temporarily halt or stop court proceedings from progressing forward.

Stop and search is the legal power given to the police, as the name suggests, to stop and search an individual and their possessions as long as they have reasonable grounds to do so. The police can stop and search a child under 18 years of age.

This is when a court decides that documents/evidence/paperwork in a court case cannot be relied upon or used. They are struck out by the court.

A studio school is a type of free state school that has about 300 pupils. The teaching is centred around vocational project based learning. This combines mainstream academic learning with real life work with local employers. There is a focus to develop skills that are needed in the workplace.

This is the Latin term for 'under the name of'. Sub Nomine is where an individual starts court proceedings under one name and then continues under another name if they have changed their name during the proceedings.

This type of curriculum focuses on making sure that the central knowledge of a subject is passed onto the students during the course lessons.

Submission is sending documents, proposals, a legal argument or a court application to start proceedings to the court for consideration.

This is the Latin term for 'under penalty'. Subpoena refers to a summons or writ from the court requiring an individual to attend court.

This is another word for statutory law which is the written law passed by acts of parliament.

A summer born child is also known as an out of age cohort child. A summer born child is one that becomes the right age for the year group just after the date when the year ends. An example of this is when a child reaches the right age for admission into a class in year 7 on 31st August but they will be admitted into a year 6 class.

This is a court document/subpoena or writ served (given) on an individual informing them that they need to attend court.

Super-curricular activities are activities that a student has done that is related to their chosen field and subject of study and they have chosen to study more or go into more depth than that that has been taught by the school or college.

This happens when a parent can only meet with their child in the presence and under the supervision of a third party.

A supervision order is where a child stays with the parents or with the person with parental responsibility and the local authority social worker will help the family improve their situation, oversee the improvements, support the family where necessary, visit the family and offer resources to help the family. A supervision order lasts for 12 months. After this period it can be increased to a further 36 months if required.

The highest court in UK. The supreme court will deal with appeals from the court of appeal. Nine judges sit in the supreme court and deal with cases.

The surrogate birth father is the husband or civil partner of the birth mother whether he is the genetic father of the child or not. However, if this individual has not consented to her being a surrogate then he will not be considered the birth father.

The surrogate birth mother is the woman who is the surrogate. She carries and gives birth to the baby.

The surrogate parent(s) are the birth parent(s) of the child

Teenage pregnancy is the term used to describe an individual between the ages of 10 years and 19 years becoming pregnant. The term is often referred to females and when the words ‘teenage pregnancy’ are spoken it is the female that comes to mind. In this write up, we at I AM L.I.P include teenage males because very often they can be forgotten. Teenage pregnancy can also be referred to as adolescent pregnancy.

A telephone interview is one which is conducted over the phone.

Terrorism is unlawful. It is where violence is used to threaten or hurt people and property to further a political, racial or religious cause. It can also involve damage and disruption to the country’s electronic networks and other public services. Terrorism is an intimidation tool used to impact and affect political parties, governments and organisations.

Under section 5 of the children act 1989 an individual can appoint a testamentary guardian to look after and care for a child in the event of their death.

This is a form of consent order. It is an agreement between both parties involved in court proceedings. It is like a contractual agreement but it is legally binding. The typical Tomlin Order is when all further proceedings and action have been stayed (stopped) as an agreement has been reached, however either party can apply to the court to resume proceedings if either parry does not comply with the agreement. They do not have to start fresh proceedings.

With traditional surrogacy the surrogate mother has a genetic relationship with the baby. Using a method called intrauterine insemination (IUI) a medical professional will release a man’s sperm into the uterus of the surrogate mother so it naturally fertilises her egg.

This is a document detailing everything that is said and by whom at a court hearing.

This is the term used when court proceedings are moved from one court to another.

A transgender child/person is an individual whose gender identity is not the same as their assigned gender. A transgender individual is also one whose gender identity falls outside of the traditional gender identities of male and female. The word trans is shorthand for transgender.

This is another word used to refer to a final hearing.

You can make a trust in conjunction with a will. A trust is a legal document that states what will happen to any part of your estate that is assigned to it. You can assign some or all of your estate while you are alive or when you pass away. Which parts of your estate are assigned to the trust upon your death will be stated in your will. A trust is useful if you want to distribute your estate in the manner that you prefer. The trust will state who will manage the trust, who will benefit from the trust (most likely your children), and how income and provisions will be distributed and how the trust fees will be paid. You can assign any asset you own to the trust. When you do, the ownership of the asset will change from you to the trust owning it. You can make a revocable trust which can be changed and amended while you are alive. When you pass away this ‘revocable’ trust will become an irrevocable trust which cannot be changed.

This is an individual who you have appointed in your will to manage your estate until your children inherit them at the age set in your will or by law.

UCAS is short for the universities and colleges admissions service. It is a charity based organisation for students of 18 years and older to make applications to UK universities and colleges for higher education. UCAS is used by UK and International students.

UCAS and universities have entry requirements for most of their courses. They require students to have a certain amount of UCAS points to be eligible to apply for certain courses. The number of UCAS points is determined by a student’s pre-higher education results. UCAS points are calculated by converting these results (such as A levels, BTEC, EPQ, diploma) into UCAS points. This allows university course providers to compare all the applicants that apply for their courses.

An unauthorised absence from school is when your child is not in school on a day when school is open for teaching enrolled pupils and the school has not agreed to the absence.

Underage sex is when an individual engages in any form of sexual touching, oral sex, masturbating together, sexual intercourse or sexual penetration and they or the other person involved are under the legal age where the law of the country (where they are at that time) does not permit them to do so.

This course is studied usually after sixth form or college once A-Levels have been completed. Entry into an undergraduate degree can also be achieved if a student has completed a HNC, HND and an international baccalaureate. An undergraduate degree is usually a 3-4 year course.

This is a legally binding promise made to the court that you will or will not do a certain action(s). If you do not abide by this promise then you will be in contempt of court and can be fined and/or imprisoned.

A university is a high level education establishment/institution where students study for academic degrees in many disciplines (both arts and sciences).

The University Alliance was formed in 2006 and is a group of technical, design and science focused universities that partner with industry and teach skills and provide practical learning. There are 12 members of the University Alliance.

Another name for a university fair is a university exhibition or convention. Many universities will have a stand at a fair and have a few representatives to talk to and answer the questions of prospective students. You can pick up a prospectus which is a brochure detailing information about the university and its courses. UCAS (please see the write up above) also holds university fairs. Take a strong bag with you so you can carry the prospectuses you are given.

A university open day is free. It is when students who are thinking about applying to the university can look around and take in the colleges, facilities, accommodation and social scene. They can meet lecturers, existing students, and learn about what student life is like on campus (if it is a campus university). You can take your parents with you on these open days. The university may give away free goody bags with a notepad, pen and other memorabilia.

This is a free secondary school sponsored by a university and/or an employer that educates pupils mainly in construction engineering, IT and business. The curriculum is designed by the university and the employer. Pupils will also get work experience.

Parental leave is where an individual who is an employee can take time away from work to look after a child under 18 years of age. Parental leave is also sometimes called family leave or ordinary parental leave.

Upskirting is when an individual takes photos or a video up someone’s skirt without their permission. The term also applies to taking photos and videos underneath other items of clothing. The aim is to take a photo or video of a person’s genitals or buttocks. Upskirting is a kind of voyeurism. It is also intrusive. It is a violation of someone’s privacy.

A vaccine is a biological preparation or medicine that once administered stimulates and enables our body’s immune system to fight infections and diseases it has never come across before. In this way you acquire immunisation against a particular disease or infection.

This is when an existing court order is altered in some way. To do this you would need to make an application to the court.

This is an individual who makes unnecessary and/or repetitive applications to the court in existing proceedings to harass the other party and delay the case. Their applications are often without merit.

A video interview is a live interview which is conducted using an electronic device. Both parties will need access to the internet and their device will have to have a webcam of some sort. Both the applicant (you) and the interviewer will see each other and can communicate without actually physically being in the same room.

A virtual school is an additional resource and service from the local authority that supports and helps the educational and academic achievements of looked after children. It is composed of a group of professionals such as education welfare officers, personal education plan coordinators, managers and learning mentors that make up a virtual school team. There is also a headteacher who is called the virtual school head. The virtual school team works in collaboration with the child’s school, designated teacher, social worker, and carers to offer support, help and make sure every looked after child can and is performing to their maximum. The virtual school team makes sure a looked after child has access to activities that can help with career plans.

The virtual school head oversees the education, the support, the help and guidance given to all looked after children. They are also in charge of the educational care of any looked after children placed in education out of the local authority. They must ensure that all personal educational plans are being followed and reviewed regularly as legally required. Under section 99 of the children and families act 2014 a local authority must have a virtual school head who is in charge of the local authorities virtual school team.

Vocational learning or training is training or learning in relation to employment or an occupation with the student acquiring particular practical skills specific to that occupation.

A voluntary aided school is a maintained state school. It is a religious faith school funded by the local authority and the religious organisation such as the church. This school is operated by the governing body who also contribute to the schools maintenance costs. They have to follow the national curriculum and are inspected by Ofsted.

Voluntary care is when the parents of a child or the person with parental responsibility agrees that the child in question should be cared for and housed by the local authority. A child in voluntary care is also known as a ‘looked after’ child.

A voluntary controlled school is a maintained state school. It is a voluntary aided school where the funding is from the logical authority only. The local authority operates the school. They have to follow the national curriculum and are inspected by Ofsted.

Under practice division 12D of the family procedure rules wardship is when the high court becomes a child’s legal guardian. If this happens the child becomes a ward of court. The day to day decisions for the child will be made by the local authority or anyone else who is looking after the child. However, no important decisions in the child’s life can be made without the permission of the high court. The child cannot also be taken abroad without the permission of the high court. Wardship is granted when the issues concerned are not able to be resolved or protection cannot be provided under the children act 1989. When this is the case it is called ‘inherent jurisdiction’. This gives the high court power to hear a case unless the law has restricted that power so another court has to hear that case.

This is a notice that is attached to a child arrangements court order stating that if the terms of the child arrangements order are breached then the offender will be punished by jail or fines.

This is an order where an individuals legal costs are paid by their legal representative (solicitor. law firm or barrister) because the legal representative conducted the case in an improper, negligent, unreasonable and illegal manner. This is allowed under the Section 19A of the 1985 Act.

A wet nurse is a female who looks after and breast feeds someone’s baby.

A will is a legal document stating your wishes of what you would like to happen to your estate once you pass away. Your will will name the individuals, organisations and charities who will inherit a part of or all of your estate. Your will will also state the individuals or organisation who will manage your will and distribute your estate. You can also write down who you would like to take care of your underage children as a guardian in the event of your death when there is no other individual alive who has parental responsibility for your child. A will will become effective after your death and after probate has been obtained from the court. Another name for a will is testament.

This is the term used to describe legal proceedings and applications that are not likely to succeed. Another word for without merit is unmeritorious.

This is when you (the applicant) submit an application to the court for something but you do not inform the other party (the respondent) or send them a copy of your application form. The respondent is unaware you made the application. This often occurs where there is a need to protect the applicant in case the respondent reacts to the application causing detriment to the applicant.

Any document, letter, statement or draft that is labelled or marked 'without prejudice' cannot be shown to the court unless there is a without prejudice court hearing.

An individual who gives evidence in court. This can be done in person and/or by making a statement.

A witness statement is a document written by yourself detailing what has happened and gives an explanation to the judge why you have started court proceedings. If you have evidence to support the statements and claims you have made in your witness statement, you must list/attach this evidence to your witness statement. Your witness statement can also sometimes detail what you would like to happen and what orders or directions you want the judge/magistrate to consider making. A witness statement is read by the judge/magistrate and your ex-partner/their solicitor & barrister many days before the court hearing. It is often 5-6 A4 pages long, but can be shorter or longer depending upon your case.

This is a court document ordering an individual to do something or stop doing something. A writ is called a legal or holy writing.

This is a court order that removes an individuals passport so they cannot travel out of the UK.

A written curriculum is a documented programme (syllabus or lesson plan) implemented for teaching

This is another name for a rose agreement where an agreement reached between individuals that has been agreed by a judge is legally binding even though it has not been written up or sealed into a court order with a court stamp.

Under the carers (recognition and services) act 1995 a young carer is a child or young person under 18 years of age who provides a substantial amount of care on a regular basis. The young carer can provide physical, emotional, and practical support to a family member who has mental issues, is physically incapable of looking after themselves, has a long term illness, has hearing or sight loss, abuses substances such as drugs or alcohol, or is disabled.

Your local youth offending team is not connected to the police or the courts. They are part of your local authority. They help children who have been arrested, charged with a crime, attending court, convicted of a crime and sentenced.

A youth rehabilitation order is ordered by a court when an individual below the age of 18 years when they are sentenced in a court for a criminal offence. The individual must obey the directions in the order. The court can direct the individual to observe a curfew, unpaid work, community service, meet with a youth offending team worker, drug treatment, supervision, mental health treatment, surveillance and can prohibit them from doing something. A youth rehabilitation order usually lasts for up to 3 years.