Kate and Gerry McCann with their twins Amelie and Sean at the park yesterday

The parents of missing four-year-old Madeleine McCann met social services at their home today to discuss their case.

It is standard procedure for a mother or father named as a suspect overseas to have their case considered by the authorities in their home county on child protection grounds.

It is understood Kate and Gerry McCann, who have two-year-old twins, Sean and Amelie, were keen to meet officials from Leicestershire County Council and were given the choice of doing so at home or at County Hall, in Glenfield.

They met at their house, in Rothley, Leicestershire, as the media waited at the entrance to their cul-de-sac for any sign of the couple.

Mr McCann's brother, John McCann, who spent the night with them in Rothley, said: "They will cooperate with anyone who has the family's best interests at heart."

Police and representatives from the council met on Monday to discuss the couple, their twins, and the disappearance of their eldest daughter.

The decision to interview suspects depends on the degree and nature of the evidence made available. It is possible, depending on the circumstances surrounding the case, that a child can be taken into care or placed on the "in need" or "at risk" register.

Either step could be taken following a period of assessment with a view to maintaining the best interests of the children.

Children placed on the registers are reviewed on a regular basis by councils against a "child protection plan". But this would not necessarily mean that they would be taken out of their family home.

Asked if social services could get involved at a later date if not initially called on in such cases, an LGA spokesman, speaking earlier this week, said: "Dependent upon the circumstances of the case it is possible that the case would be reviewed in the weeks or months following an initial assessment."

Mrs McCann left the family home briefly earlier today to collect the twins after a family friend took them for a walk.

John McCann told the Evening Standard: "Kate has invited social services to make sure everything was OK, that was at her behest."

It is understood the McCanns will spend tomorrow in meetings with their lawyers.