How to contact us for advice

Find out more

Telephone Handler
Close form

Our advice service

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.

Telephone Handler

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.

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 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.

 

Exit
Family Rights Group
Cover Your Tracks
Generic filters
Exact matches only

If a parent to be has been in the care system themselves, does that mean children’s services must become involved with their child?

No. But children’s services may become involved with a family if they think their child and the family may need extra help and support. Or if they are worried a child may be at risk of harm following birth.

If a parent to be is about to leave the care system or has been or is being themselves supported by children’s services then it will be important for the baby’s social worker to look carefully at how any plans for the baby link with the parent’s own pathway plan.  A pathway plan is a personal plan for a young person who is getting ready to leave care. It aims to help them as they move to adulthood. The plan should set out what children’s services and other agencies will do to help the young person move towards independent living.

Our Young Parents Advice hub includes detailed examples and advice about how this should be done here. A checklist can be a good way of thinking through all of the different issues. Download this checklist to help think through some of the important things. The checklist may also help to get ready for talking things through with your child’s social worker and anyone else involved – such as a personal adviser or advocate.

People pie chart

Our funding means we can currently only help 4 in 10 people

Your donation will help more families access expert legal advice and support from Family Rights Group.

Donate Now