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How to Write Chronologies for Court: Social Work Guide UK

January 2025•11 min read

What is a Case Chronology?

A case chronology is a structured timeline of significant events in a person's or family's history. In court proceedings, chronologies help judges, magistrates, and legal professionals quickly understand the sequence of events and the local authority's involvement.

A well-written chronology can be the difference between a clear, compelling case and a confusing one. It's one of the most important documents you'll produce for court.

Purpose: A chronology is not a summary of the case - it's a factual timeline that allows readers to understand what happened and when, without having to read through hundreds of pages of case records.

When Are Chronologies Needed?

Chronologies are typically required for:

  • Care proceedings (Public Law Outline)
  • Child protection conferences
  • Serious case reviews
  • Complex assessments
  • Case transfers between teams
  • Court of Protection matters
  • Adoption proceedings
  • Private law proceedings where the LA is involved

Standard Chronology Format

Most court chronologies follow a standard table format with these columns:

Date Event Source Significance
15/03/2020 Child A born at Queen's Hospital. Normal delivery. Birth weight 3.2kg. Hospital records Birth of subject child
20/05/2020 Health visitor reported concerns about mother's low mood and difficulty bonding. Referral to perinatal mental health team. Health visitor referral First professional concerns noted
14/08/2020 Police called to domestic incident at family home. Father arrested for assault. Mother declined support. Police notification First documented domestic abuse incident

What to Include

Essential Events

  • Key life events: Birth, death, marriage, separation, changes in household composition
  • Agency involvement: Referrals, assessments, case closures, re-referrals
  • Significant incidents: Domestic abuse, injuries, police involvement, hospital attendances
  • Child protection activity: Strategy meetings, conferences, registration, deregistration
  • Legal interventions: Court orders, PLO meetings, proceedings
  • Placement changes: Moves, foster placements, returns home
  • Professional concerns: Significant observations or escalations

What to Exclude

  • Routine contacts that don't add to understanding
  • Administrative matters (e.g., worker changes unless significant)
  • Opinion or analysis (save for your statement)
  • Every single visit or contact
  • Irrelevant historical information

Writing Effective Entries

Be Factual and Specific

Each entry should state the facts clearly and concisely:

  • Good: "A&E attendance. Child presented with bruising to left cheek. Mother stated child fell from bed. Examined by Dr Smith - non-accidental injury not excluded."
  • Poor: "Hospital visit due to injury. Concerns raised."

Include Source Information

Every entry should be traceable to a source document:

  • Case recording system entry dated...
  • Police notification reference...
  • Hospital records dated...
  • School report dated...
  • GP records dated...

Note Significance

Help the reader understand why this event matters:

  • "First known domestic incident"
  • "Pattern of missed appointments begins"
  • "Third A&E attendance in 6 months"
  • "Mother's engagement deteriorates"
  • "Escalation to child protection"

Chronology Example: Care Proceedings

CASE CHRONOLOGY
Re: Child A (DOB: 15/03/2020)
Prepared by: Jane Smith, Social Worker
Date: 10 January 2025

15/03/2020 - Child A born at Queen's Hospital. Full term, normal delivery. Birth weight 3.2kg. Mother and baby discharged day 2. (Hospital records) - Birth of subject child

28/03/2020 - Health visitor new birth visit. No concerns. Mother appeared well and bonding appropriately. (HV records)

20/05/2020 - Health visitor reports mother presenting as tearful with low mood. Difficulty establishing feeding routine. Referred to perinatal mental health. (HV referral) - First professional concerns

14/08/2020 - Police notification. Officers attended domestic incident at family address. Father arrested for common assault on mother. Child A present. Mother declined support from domestic abuse services. (Police notification ref: ABC123) - First documented DA incident

17/08/2020 - Referral to Children's Services from police. MASH screening completed. (CS records) - First referral to CS

24/08/2020 - Initial assessment commenced. Home visit completed. Mother minimised domestic abuse. Father present and denied assault. Child A observed - no visible injuries, appearing clean and fed. (CS assessment)

15/09/2020 - Assessment concluded. Case closed with advice and information. (CS records) - Case closed

12/12/2020 - Police notification. Second domestic incident. Father arrested for ABH. Mother sustained facial injuries. Child A taken to neighbour during incident. (Police notification ref: DEF456) - Second DA incident, escalation in severity

14/12/2020 - Strategy discussion held. Decision to proceed to S47 enquiry. (CS records) - Escalation to safeguarding

Tips for Court-Ready Chronologies

1. Use Consistent Formatting

  • Dates in same format throughout (DD/MM/YYYY recommended)
  • Consistent abbreviations (define them at the start)
  • Same level of detail for similar events

2. Be Balanced

  • Include positive events, not just concerns
  • Note when parents engaged or made progress
  • Record periods of stability as well as crisis

3. Cross-Reference Other Documents

  • Ensure chronology matches your statement
  • Check dates against case recording
  • Verify information from other agencies

4. Keep It Updated

  • Add significant events as they occur
  • Review before each court hearing
  • Version control (date each update)

Pro tip: Start building your chronology from day one of involvement. It's much easier to maintain an ongoing chronology than to create one retrospectively from years of records.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Too much detail: Including every contact makes the chronology unusable
  • Too little detail: Vague entries that don't convey what happened
  • Missing sources: Entries without references to source documents
  • Opinion as fact: Including your analysis rather than factual events
  • Inconsistent dates: Errors in dates undermine credibility
  • One-sided: Only including concerning events
  • Last-minute creation: Rushed chronologies contain errors

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Conclusion

A well-crafted chronology is an essential tool for court proceedings. It provides the court with a clear, factual timeline that supports understanding of your case. By following these principles - being factual, citing sources, including significant events, and maintaining balance - you'll create chronologies that serve both the court and the families you work with.

Remember: the best chronologies are built over time, not created in a rush before court. Make chronology maintenance part of your ongoing case recording practice.