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Our advice service

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.

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By phone or email

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.

Discuss on our forums

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.

Advice on our website

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.

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How should the care plan for a child looked after under a voluntary arrangement be reviewed?

Once a child is looked after in the care system, children’s services must prepare a care plan for them. This is required by Regulation 4 of the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010.

The care plan must be kept under regular review. These reviews will happen at a looked after child review meeting. Sometimes this is shortened to just ‘LAC’ review. This process should happen for any looked after child. This includes children in the care system under voluntary arrangements. And those who are in care under a court order.

Reviews must take place at regular intervals. These are:

Reviews must be held if it is being suggested that:

  • The child should leave care before they reach 18
  • The child should to live independently
  • If the child is subject to a care order and is going to be discharged from custody
  • If the child’s placement is going to change in a way which could disrupt their education. This is particularly if they are in Key Stage 4 or if they have been settled in their placement for a long time.See government statutory guidance called the IRO Handbook, at paragraph 3.77.
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