Simple, Easy-to-Understand Special Guardianship Advice

Special guardianship orders provide you with parental responsibility that allow long-term caregivers to take more control over the care of a child. If a special guardianship order is granted, a special guardian will have enhanced rights and responsibilities as well as the option to override a parent’s views during conflict.

Our child care solicitors are experts in this area, having helped many families and foster carers in the past to obtain parental rights and responsibilities providing long term security for children. What’s more, we offer simple, easy-to-understand special guardianship advice without any legal jargon.

We promise to:

Remove lawyer-speak where possible and explain any legal phrases you’ll need to know as part of your case.
Be responsive — via email, phone, video call or any other form of communication you prefer.
Remember the little things and consider your unique family unit in everything we do relating to your case.

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Special Guardianship Orders FAQs

A special guardianship order is a legal order granted by a court to appoint one or more people to be special guardians for a child. These types of orders are made when a child is unable to live with birth parents, sometimes due to safeguarding issues. Often, a special guardianship order is linked with previous care proceedings.

Once granted, special guardians act as a legally secure placement throughout childhood. As a special guardian, you will have enhanced parental responsibility and the ability to make vital decisions relating to a child’s upbringing. Importantly, special guardians can override parent’s views during conflict.

Special guardianship orders are initiated by you notifying the local authority that you wish to apply for an order. We can assist you with this process. The local authority will complete an assessment and make recommendations as to whether a special guardianship order is in the best interests of a child.

If your case moves forward, the Local Authority will create a support plan outlining any practical and financial support the special guardian will be entitled to in the long term — and what is expected of the local authority and special guardians during the placement.

Unlike special guardianship orders, private adoption removes a birth parent’s legal rights and responsibilities and transfers them to an adoptive parent. Special guardians have enhanced parental rights, meaning they can override a birth parent’s decision but the parents retain parental responsibility ensuring that the legal relationship between a birth parent and their child is retained.

As part of special guardianship orders, the court will consider arrangements for contact between the birth parent(s) and the child to help facilitate this relationship.

You require a solicitor who has particular expertise in this complex area. Our child care solicitors have experience in dealing with applications to the court for special guardianship orders. We can advise you on whether a special guardianship order is the right order for you and the child and assist you through the whole process.

We have expertise in scrutinising the support plans provided by the local authority and will help you in ensuring the plan provides for the child’s physical and emotional needs throughout their childhood.

What Our Clients Say

Find out about our simple, straightforward service from the people who know it best –– our clients.

    
 
 
      Posted on Google  
   Will Steel 
 9 October 2026
 
 
  I used Lockings for my house sale and purchase. I highly recommend these  solicitors, from the ease of obtaining the initial  quote, through the selling and buying process of two properties, the staff kept me informed and updated .
Once I had sold my property, I then went out and offered on a new property, which required a quick sale , Lockings stepped up and within 5 weeks the property was purchased. Excellent service at every stage and went above and beyond when I needed help ! Thank you.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   Danuta Kozlowska 
 9 October 2026
 
 
  Despite many problems and stress encountered while preparing the property for sale, everything was resolved and the sale was successfully finalized. Thank you very much.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   Rebecca Bury 
 8 October 2026
 
 
  After changing from another solicitor, I decided to go with my estate agents advice.  I'm very pleased I did.Very professional team. Always quick to reply to emails and telephone calls. Really nice to have friendly advice and support. Thankyou
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   Geoffrey Lagar 
 7 October 2026
 
 
  We contacted Lockings to rewrite our wills. Lucy visited at home and she very professionally completed the task.
We are now in receipt of our new wills and we engaged Lockings to keep the originals in perpetuity.
Very competent.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   Pat Wilkinson 
 7 October 2026
 
 
  I was very happy with the service provided. It was a fairly unusual sale and they kept me informed throughout. Couldn't recommend them any more!
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   Robert Edwards 
 6 October 2026
 
 
  Excellent service throughout the whole mortgage process. The team were professional, helpful and kept me updated at every stage. Everything was handled efficiently, and they made the process straightforward and stress-free. I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for a reliable solicitor.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   Werner Marais 
 6 October 2026
 
 
  Ms Adele Kirk at Locking Solicitors in Beverley was brilliant from start to finish. She was professional, approachable, and kept me informed at every stage, making everything feel much more straightforward and less stressful. Adele took the time to explain things clearly, answered my questions promptly, and made me feel well supported throughout. I’m extremely grateful for her help and would happily recommend Adele and the team.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   Gary Johnston 
 2 October 2026
 
 
  Non pressurised professional service at all times. Having to put a parent into care is something no one should have to deal with so having a reliant service behind me was so reassuring 👏🏻
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   Bri S 
 2 October 2026
 
 
  Very professional company, everything explained in detail, warm, friendly and reassuring, would definitely go back if we  ever needed their services again.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   John Wells 
 1 October 2026
 
 
  It was easy to get too and found they run to time with very little waiting. Nicola was very pleasant to talk to and we found here very efficient and helpful explaining what we required. Hopefully job done - Thankyou John and Jenny W.

Why Choose Us

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Find Out More

Find Us

Looking for a solicitor local to East Yorkshire or York? Visit our offices in Beverley, Hull, and York, or get in touch via telephone, fax, or email.

Hull

St Mary’s Court, Lowgate, Hull HU1 1YG
01482 300200
01482 300299
DX 11917 Hull
welcome@lockings.co.uk

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Highgate House, 19 Wednesday Market, Beverley HU17 0DJ
01482 300500
01482 300501
DX 28304 Beverley
welcome@lockings.co.uk

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Suite 2A, 18 Back Swinegate, Swinegate Court West, York YO1 8AD
01904 943300
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If you are a customer of Lockings Solicitors and we have contracted with you online you may be entitled to use the EU Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) Platform to assist in resolving any dispute with us. This service can be found at https://ec.europa.eu/odr .

Our email address is welcome@lockings.co.uk

Lockings Solicitors is a trading name of Lockings Legal Services Limited registered in England and Wales company registration number 09244568. Lockings Legal Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (Main Office SRA ID number 626081). A list of our directors is available for inspection at all our offices. Use the following link https://www.sra.org.uk/solicitors/standards-regulations/ for online access to the current professional rules applicable to solicitors. All calls are recorded for training and quality purposes.

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Will Steel

9 October 2026

I used Lockings for my house sale and purchase. I highly recommend these solicitors, from the ease of obtaining the initial quote, through the selling and buying process of two properties, the staff kept me informed and updated . Once I had sold my property, I then went out and offered on a new property, which required a quick sale , Lockings stepped up and within 5 weeks the property was purchased. Excellent service at every stage and went above and beyond when I needed help ! Thank you.

Danuta Kozlowska

Despite many problems and stress encountered while preparing the property for sale, everything was resolved and the sale was successfully finalized. Thank you very much.

Rebecca Bury

8 October 2026

After changing from another solicitor, I decided to go with my estate agents advice. I'm very pleased I did.Very professional team. Always quick to reply to emails and telephone calls. Really nice to have friendly advice and support. Thankyou

Geoffrey Lagar

7 October 2026

We contacted Lockings to rewrite our wills. Lucy visited at home and she very professionally completed the task. We are now in receipt of our new wills and we engaged Lockings to keep the originals in perpetuity. Very competent.

Pat Wilkinson

I was very happy with the service provided. It was a fairly unusual sale and they kept me informed throughout. Couldn't recommend them any more!

Robert Edwards

6 October 2026

Excellent service throughout the whole mortgage process. The team were professional, helpful and kept me updated at every stage. Everything was handled efficiently, and they made the process straightforward and stress-free. I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for a reliable solicitor.

Werner Marais

Ms Adele Kirk at Locking Solicitors in Beverley was brilliant from start to finish. She was professional, approachable, and kept me informed at every stage, making everything feel much more straightforward and less stressful. Adele took the time to explain things clearly, answered my questions promptly, and made me feel well supported throughout. I’m extremely grateful for her help and would happily recommend Adele and the team.

Gary Johnston

2 October 2026

Non pressurised professional service at all times. Having to put a parent into care is something no one should have to deal with so having a reliant service behind me was so reassuring 👏🏻

Bri S

Very professional company, everything explained in detail, warm, friendly and reassuring, would definitely go back if we ever needed their services again.

John Wells

1 October 2026

It was easy to get too and found they run to time with very little waiting. Nicola was very pleasant to talk to and we found here very efficient and helpful explaining what we required. Hopefully job done - Thankyou John and Jenny W.

Special Guardianship Orders