Our Achievements

ISO 9001:2015 – SLLP went through an inspection in September 2022 and were successfully re-accredited for a further 3 years. ISO 9001:2015 is a powerful business improvement tool, providing the framework and guidance needed to help consistently meet our client’s expectations and regulatory requirements. This includes the need to demonstrate our ability to enhance client satisfaction through the effective application and improvement of the system.

R (X, Y) v The London Borough of Wandsworth – Family stated they were receiving insufficient support from provider. The LA’s view was that support was sufficient, but there had been some errors in the assessment documentation which were amended and a full justification for the amount of support assessed as required was provided. The family continued to be unhappy with the assessment but did not pursue a complaint and simply issued a claim for permission to JR the London Borough of Wandsworth.

The Court supported the LA position that a dispute about the content of an individual assessment was not the appropriate to be heard by the Court, and the LA had justified the support given and amended it to avoid statutory breach, but Judicial Review would not take the matter any further. The initial application for Judicial Review was therefore successfully defended.

Ms Justice Eady had refused the Claimant permission on a number of grounds, one of which was that the Defendant had complied with the requirements of the Care Act 2014. The Judge concluded that the Defendant complied as the Care Plan clearly identified the needs of X and how these needs were to be met.

SLLP’s Social Care team then received an application to renew the permission to Judicially Review London Borough of Wandsworth 3 months later, and this has also recently been successfully defended.

At the renewal hearing, the Claimant focused upon and asserted that the Defendant’s assessment of X’s needs was unlawful because it breached sections 1(2) and 9(4) of the Care Act 2014. Section 1(2) defines wellbeing and listed matters it encompassed, such as personal dignity. Section 9(4) outlines what a needs assessment must include, such as the impact of the adult’s needs on wellbeing, the outcomes the adult wished to achieve, and how care and support could contribute to achieving those outcomes.

SLLP argued that the Court should refuse the Claimant’s renewed application for permission, citing R (F) v Wirral Borough Council [2009] EWHC 1626 (Admin) [75], which stated that the Administrative Court should not probe into the adequacy of community care assessments. We argued on behalf of LB Wandsworth that the Claimant’s judicial review claim was an attempt to frame a complaint about the adequacy of the assessment as a complaint about the legality of the process and therefore should not succeed.

The presiding judge, Mr Justice Hilliard, agreed with the Local Authority’s position and was satisfied that there was no realistic prospect of success for a Judicial Review. The judge concluded by drawing attention to the availability of a complaints procedure as an alternative to Judicial Review, concurring with Justice Eady on this point and underpinning the legal position put forward by LB Wandsworth

We worked closely with our client department to ensure social workers were more than adequately prepared for the case and a first time social worker commented that it was a highly educational experience which she valued. Junior and senior members of the team provided quick turnarounds and proactive responsive advice and our clients were incredibly helpful in providing the information required to defend their legal position.

August 2024 – Housing – SLLP provided the legal support for Merton in making an Interim Management Order using powers under the Housing Act 2004 regarding a block of privately rented flats.

November 2024 – Social Care – XY Twins Inflicted Injury (Naming Perpetrator) [2024] EWFC 414 (B) – A fact-finding hearing was held and it was determined that the maternity nurse employed privately by the family had deliberately or recklessly caused the femoral fracture to X, either inflicted X’s skull fracture or caused it by an undisclosed accident and inflicted both X and Y’s rib fractures.

All parties were very concerned that due to the lack of regulation of maternity nurses, the intervener might seek to work with children again. The children’s guardian, supported by all parties save the intervener, applied for her to be named. HHJ Rowe KC carefully considered this application and gave judgment permitting her to be named once all criminal investigations had concluded.

The parents and two other carers were completely exonerated.

South London Legal Partnership won the LGC award in 2017 in ‘Driving Efficiency Through Technology’ for the creation of Digital Courtrooms