How to contact us for advice

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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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What if a child does not fit the Children Act 1989 definition of a disabled child but the child and family still need help?

Remember, children’s services departments:

  • Must provide a range and level of services available to help children in need and their families (section 17(1) Children Act 1989).
  • And they should carry out a child in need assessment where the parent or carer requests this.

This means even if a child is not accepted as being a disabled child, they may still be a child in need. And children’s services can still be asked to carry out a child in need assessment.

See our Child in need page for more information.

Early help services may also be available. See our Early help page for more information.

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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.

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