Northern Ireland Secretary Dr John Reid and the RUC are to face legal action over the Protestant protests at the Holy Cross Primary School in north Belfast, it emerged tonight.
As residents prepared to consider a one-day suspension of demonstrations, a firm of lawyers confirmed the start of High Court proceedings.
An unidentified parent and her seven-year-old daughter have claimed a lack of effective policing to protect them. They accused police of failing to identify and arrest protesters for breaking the law.
In a statement issued by the Belfast firm of solicitors, the parent claimed in an affidavit that a lack of police action had allowed violence against the children to continue.
She said: "This cannot go on any longer."
Protestant residents in the Glenbryn estate have staged protests since the middle of June, objecting to the parents and their children from the neighbouring Catholic Ardoyne walking to school through their area.
Earlier, the residents said they were prepared to consider calling off demonstrations on Friday when some of the children are due to sit critical 11-plus transfer examinations.
With protests free of any incidents today, representatives of the residents said the atmosphere had improved.
Mr Jim Potts, a spokesman for the Concerned Residents of Upper Ardoyne, said tonight: "I expect a decision to be made tomorrow.
"This is being reviewed on a day-to-day basis and we will have to see how the nationalists conduct themselves. There were no problems today, unlike the previous two days when their reaction was not good.
"We took steps to scale down the protests. The police adopted a softer approach, but they were not at all happy."
The parent, according to her solicitors, claimed the erection of screens could have prevented the protesters getting within touching distance of the children.
The children and parents had been the victims of numerous serious criminal offences, including death threats, assault, intimidation and abuse.
She added: "We have tried everything to stop these attacks on our children to no avail."
Meanwhile, South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu had meetings today with the parents and staff, and the residents and north Belfast political representatives.
He said he believed the row could be settled.
The Archbishop said: "It is very distressing for the children who are hurting, but I think it will be okay. It will be resolved."
PA