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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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Lifelong Links clone

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2 minute read

Lifelong Links builds positive, loving relationships into adulthood

Lifelong Links is an innovative approach, developed by Family Rights Group. It connects children in care, or care leavers, with people who care about them. The aim of Lifelong Links is to ensure that a child in care, or a care leaver, has a positive, loving support network that they can rely on.

On this page you can find out more about what Lifelong Links is and how it works, why it matters, and how Family Rights Group can help.

‘I now know who Salma is’

Watch this short video to learn what Lifelong Links meant to Salma:

What is Lifelong Links?

Lifelong Links is a game-changing approach to ensure children in care have lasting relationships which they can depend on. Learn why Lifelong Links is important, and how it works.

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How do we know Lifelong Links works?

Independent evaluations, plus our own research shows that Lifelong Links increases connections, builds relationships, and can even reduce homelessness.

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How can Family Rights Group help with Lifelong Links?

Family Rights Group supports local authorities to implement Lifelong Links with children in care and care leavers. This includes training Lifelong Links coordinators, developing practice guidance, publishing resources, and providing specialist one to one support to help set up and embed a Lifelong Links service.

Support to develop your service

Looking to introduce Lifelong Links for children in care in your authority? Family Rights Group can provide you with a package of support to develop your service.

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Circles app to guide conversations

Circles is a new online app created by Family Rights Group to explore who in a child’s life is important to them. It is an integral part of Lifelong Links.

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Accreditation to ensure quality

Lifelong Links is an evaluated approach. Staying true to the model is crucial to its effectiveness. These standards help to ensure quality in your Lifelong Links practice.

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Join our call to Build Not Break

We are calling for all children and young people in care, and care leavers, to have positive loving relationships they can rely on into adulthood.

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Thank you to Lifelong Links funders

We would like to thank KPMG Foundation, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, the Department for Education Innovation Programme, The Robertson Trust, The RS Macdonald Charitable Trust, the Dulverton Trust, The National Lottery Community Fund, Adoption England, CHK Foundation, Hugh Fraser Foundation and the Rayne Foundation for investing in Lifelong Links.

November 2024

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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