How to contact us for advice
We provide advice to parents, grandparents, relatives, friends and kinship carers who are involved with children’s services in England or need their help. We can help you understand processes and options when social workers or courts are making decisions about your child’s welfare.
Our advice service is free, independent and confidential.
To speak to an adviser, please call our free and confidential advice line 0808 801 0366 (Monday to Friday 9.30am to 3pm, excluding Bank Holidays). For Textphone dial 18001 followed by the advice line number. Or you can ask us a question via email using our advice enquiry form.
Our online advice forums are an anonymous space where parents and kinship carers (also known as family and friends carers) can get legal and practical advice, build a support network and learn from other people’s experiences.
Our get help and advice section describes the processes that you and your family are likely to go through, so that you know what to expect. Our webchat service can help you find the information and advice on our website which will help you understand the law and your rights.
Cafcass is independent of the court and children’s services. Its role is to look after the interests of children involved in cases in the family court.
This includes cases in which children’s services are involved, for example, care proceedings. If children’s services apply for a care order or an emergency protection order, the court will ask Cafcass to appoint a children’s guardian to ensure that whatever decisions the court takes are what is best for the child.
Cafcass also helps with private law cases. For example when parents cannot agree on arrangements for where a child should live, and who they should spend time with.
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