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). Or you can ask us a question via email using our advice enquiry form.
Are you a parent, kinship carer relative or friend of a child who is involved with, or who needs the help of, children’s services in England? 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). 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 has template letters, advice sheets and resources about legal and social care processes. On Monday and Wednesday afternoons, you can use our webchat service to chat online to an adviser.
Sometimes fathers can be overlooked or excluded from decisions made about their children. The aim of this page is to help fathers understand their legal rights and responsibilities. And to know the options available if they need support. Fathers may want to start by looking at our Children’s services page. This shares helpful information about what children’s services do and how they should work.
Children’s services have responsibility for supporting children and families. And for keeping vulnerable children safe. Children’s services should work in partnership with children and their families to do this. This includes parents. Government statutory guidance called Working Together 2018, makes this clear (see page 9 at paragraph 11). Parents includes all birth fathers who have parental responsibility and birth fathers who do not.
Click on the blocks below for more information and advice for fathers on five important topics:
Dad Info
Provides a range of helpful, practical, entertaining resources and content for fathers.
Website: https://www.dad.info/
Family Mediation Council
The Fatherhood Institute
Provides the UK information centre on fatherhood through newsletters, training information, policy updates, research summaries and guides.
Email: mail@fatherhoodinstitute.org
Website: http://www.fatherhoodinstitute.org/
Families Need Fathers
Provides information and support to parents and carers of either sex. Is chiefly concerned with maintaining a child’s relationship with both parents following family breakdown.
Helpline: 0300 0300 363 (Open Monday – Friday 6pm – 10pm)
Email: fnf@fnf.org.uk
Website: https://fnf.org.uk/
Future Men
Website: https://futuremen.org/
Gingerbread
Offers a range of services for lone parent families throughout England and Wales: a telephone helpline, membership, training and learning opportunities, free publications, and campaigning work.
Helpline: 0808 802 0925
(Open Mondays: 10am – 6pm, Tuesday/Thursdays/Fridays-10am – 4pm, Wednesdays: 10am-1pm and 5pm – 7pm.)
Website: https://www.gingerbread.org.uk/
Respect
Provides confidential helpline services for domestic abuse perpetrators, those supporting them and for male victims of domestic abuse.
Respect Phoneline: 0845 122 8609 (Monday – Friday 10am-1pm and 2pm -5pm)
Website: https://www.respect.uk.net/
Respect Phoneline
Works with domestic violence perpetrators, male victims, and young people. Respect runs a helpline for men and women who are harming their partners.
Website: https://respectphoneline.org.uk/
Freephone: 0808 801 0327
They also run a Men’s Advice Line which provides advice and support to men experiencing domestic abuse and those supporting them.
Freephone: 0808 8010327
Email: info@mensadviceline.org.uk
Your donation will help more families access expert legal advice and support from Family Rights Group.
Donate Now