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.
A secure training centre is a place of detention for children aged 12 to 17. Typically, secure training centres are used for younger boys or older boys who have been found to be vulnerable. These young people will have been sentenced to custody following conviction of a criminal offence. Or they may be being held on remand awaiting trial.
A secure training centre can accommodate between 50 and 80 young people in separate units. Each unit will house between five and eight young people. Children should receive 30 hours of education and training each week, and follow a school-day timetable.
Secure training centres are usually run by private companies. However, the Prison and Probation Service can take over the management of a secure training centre. For example if it is performing poorly.
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