Family Law Solicitors for Dagenham

Reviewed by Sital Somaiya, Principal Solicitor, Signature Law. Last reviewed 14 October 2026.

If Barking and Dagenham children's services has written to you about your children, contact a solicitor before you reply or attend any meeting. Parents facing care proceedings are entitled to legal aid without a means test, and Signature Law is a legal aid provider for family and children work. We also handle divorce, money and child arrangements for Dagenham families, from Charter House, 123 South Street, Romford RM1 1NX. Call 01708 398 851.

Family solicitors for Dagenham

When the council gets involved: the letter before proceedings

Before applying to court for a care order, the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham will usually send parents a letter before proceedings under the Public Law Outline, inviting them to a meeting.

The letter. It sets out the council's concerns and what it wants to change. Bring it to us straight away.

The pre-proceedings meeting. You can bring a solicitor, and legal aid covers that advice. What is agreed here often decides whether the case goes to court at all.

The written agreement. If the council asks you to sign one, we check it is realistic before you commit to it.

Care proceedings. If the council applies to court, parents with parental responsibility get non-means-tested legal aid, and the court aims to finish within 26 weeks, though many cases take longer.

Council homes, tenancies and Right to Buy on the Becontree Estate

Much of Dagenham is the Becontree Estate, built as council housing and partly sold under Right to Buy. On separation:

A Barking and Dagenham Council tenancy can be transferred into one person's name by the court, married or not. It cannot simply be signed over between you.

An ex-council home bought under Right to Buy may carry a discount repayable to the council if sold within ten years of a purchase made on or after 21 November 2024, or within five years for homes bought before that date, which reduces the equity to divide.

Where your case is heard

Dagenham is in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, and family cases are generally heard at the East London Family Court at Westferry Circus, Canary Wharf. Before the first hearing in a private children case, Cafcass checks police and Barking and Dagenham children's services records.

Domestic abuse

Non-molestation and occupation orders can be applied for urgently, without notice to the other person. Evidence of domestic abuse can make you eligible for legal aid for the wider dispute and exempts you from mediation before court. If you are in immediate danger, call 999.

Starting your case

We check legal aid eligibility at the first meeting. Dagenham cases are run from our Romford family law office, and advice is available in Gujarati, Hindi and Urdu.

Questions Dagenham clients ask

I have been invited to a meeting by children's services. Do I need a solicitor? Yes. Legal aid covers advice at a pre-proceedings meeting, and what you agree there matters later.

Can I keep our council flat if we split up? The court can transfer a Barking and Dagenham Council tenancy to one of you, looking at housing needs and the children.

Do you have an office in Dagenham? No. We are at Charter House, 123 South Street, Romford, and also meet by phone and video.