3PB

Family; Court of Protection

Family barrister Kellie Salter joined chambers in 2022 having completed her pupillage with another set on the south coast of England.

Kellie is a member of the family group at 3PB with a busy practice focused on family law, including care, private family and Court of Protection case work. She has provided representation within proceedings involving non-accidental injury, sexual harm and allegations of parental alienation at fact-finding and final hearings.

Kellie has a passion for working with parents with vulnerabilities such as learning disabilities and Autism and is adept at managing challenging conversations with clients using a sensitive and tailored approach. She is frequently commended by clients for her strong negotiation skills and tactics. She has been noted to have a calm and focused manner in her client care and is often instructed to represent clients that need a clear and straight-forward approach within conference.

Prior to her career at the Bar, Kellie was a social worker and held various roles in Children’s and Adults’ social care spanning 20 years. Kellie draws on this experience when representing parties within all areas of her practice.

During her time in social care work, Kellie spent time leading a service for adults with Autism, managing a drug and alcohol and mental health inclusion service and several social work teams for adults with learning disabilities. Her earlier experience involved children protection work and education social work prior to specialising in social work with adults with learning disabilities. This involved working with younger adults with Education, Health and Care plans moving into Adults’ services and she was involved with SEND tribunals.

Kellie trained in ABE investigation work and attended Mental Health Review Tribunals for those with a forensic history. She gained experience with Court of Protection social work and now draws on this when representing clients within health and welfare focused proceedings.

Whilst studying part-time for the Bar, Kellie worked full-time as a manager within Adults’ Social Care. She moved from managing social work teams into a commissioning-focused role which used project work to develop housing and support options for vulnerable adults. She has a good understanding of the realities of local authority operations.

Kellie received a major scholarship award whilst studying for the Bar, the Diplock Scholarship which is given to non-law degree students to assist with their studying. She was nominated for the Western Circuit Advocacy prize and Ede and Ravenscroft awards whilst completing the BPTC. Kellie is enthusiastic about promoting diversity at the Bar, and has provided open and honest talks to students about her journey to the Bar.

Kellie is involved with a Maternal Mental Health group in Dorset, which is focused on developing support services and a pathway for parents experiencing separation from their child. She successfully completed the Advocacy and the Vulnerable national training programme.

Kellie also provides training and advice to local authorities and has been invited to speak at conferences and events in relation to her practice areas. She is a trained pupil supervisor.

Outside work, Kellie can often be found outside - gardening or walking and spending time with friends and family.

Family

Kellie Salter has a busy private and public children practice and regularly acts for both applicants and respondents, including rule 16.4 Guardians and Grandparents. She has experience of working with cases involving:

• Domestic Abuse
• Parents with mental health difficulties including personality disorder and offending history
• Parents with learning disabilities
• Substance misuse
• Relocation
• Special Guardianship
• Parental disputes involving children with special educational needs

Cases of note:

• Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole v M & Others [2023] EWFC 140

Recent cases:

• Re B – Represented a young Father in a case of non-accidental injury where proceedings resulted in the child returning to the parents’ care.
• Re H – Kellie represented a Mother with ADHD and mental health difficulties throughout care proceedings, which saw her children remain in her care throughout and proceedings concluded with supervision orders at the request of the Mother.
• Re W – Kellie represented a Mother with learning disabilities and complex mental health presentation at a final hearing where contact following adoption was a live issue.
• Re C – On behalf of a Father in care proceedings where his sons were involved in county lines.
• Re A – Kellie represented a Mother in lengthy private law and care proceedings which led to findings of sexual abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour against the Father.
• Re H  – Kellie represented a parent with a sexual offending history in care proceedings. Following several sexual harm risk assessments a plan was achieved to spend increasing supervised time with the children.
• Re K  – On behalf of the child in care proceedings involving alleged physical harm against the child, where findings were made that physical harm had been caused by a parent.
• R v B – Represented a Mother at a fact-finding hearing in private law proceedings where findings were made of rape and coercive and controlling behaviour against the Father.

Kellie will also undertake Court of Protection work and is familiar with such work from her background in Social Work and welcomes instructions in that regard.

Court of Protection

Kellie came to the bar following a 20-year career in Social Work, working in both Children’s and Adult’s services as a Social Worker but also in management roles. She has a particular interest in working with vulnerable clients, including older adults and adults with learning disabilities. She has held roles requiring her to make and oversee applications through the Court of Protection (COP) process on behalf of Local Authorities.

As a barrister, Kellie has undertaken inherent jurisdiction work for those aged under 18, property and affairs and health and welfare related COP applications. Having managed Social Work teams, she is keen to develop her practice in relation to decision-making as to aspects of individuals’ lives such as where clients should live or how they should best be supported within the realms of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Kellie’s background leads her to approach cases with sensitivity and a willingness to secure the best outcome for her client. She is skilled at being able to support clients to identify solutions at round table meetings so that matters can where possible be resolved between parties without requiring the intervention of the court.

Year of Call: 2019