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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.

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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). 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.

 

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Our Build Not Break campaign is calling for all children and young people in care and care leavers to have positive, loving relationships they can rely on into adulthood.

Most of us have somebody we can turn to for practical and emotional support – family, friends, neighbours.

This is often not the case for children in care and those leaving care.

Those important relationships are often broken when they enter the care system. Many are separated from their siblings, have to change school, or move far away from family and friends.

Children and young people can be left isolated and alone. A lack of positive relationships increases the likelihood that they experience difficulties in life – such as poor mental health, a tougher time at school, unemployment and homelessness.

37%

of children in care who have siblings are separated from them (Children's Commissioner for England)

18 miles

The average distance a child in care in England is living away from their family and friends (#GoneTooFar Become)

25%

of homeless people are care experienced (Crisis)

10x

more likely that care leavers are not in education, employment or training at 21, compared to peers (The Rees Centre)

But there is hope

We know that if positive caring relationships can be built and strengthened, then it increases the likelihood of care experienced young people thriving in adulthood.

Lifelong Links is an innovative approach, developed by Family Rights Group, working to make sure every child in care and every care leaver is connected to people who care about them – for life.

A trained coordinator works with children and young people to find and safely connect with relatives and others they want to reach out to. From brothers and sisters, to school friends, former foster carers to teachers, and even pets.

Research shows Lifelong Links leads to a stronger sense of identity for the child or young person, more stability in their living arrangements, better mental health, and more positive relationships they can rely on.

Lifelong Links is currently available in 32 local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales. Over 2300 children and young people have benefited.

We are calling on Governments across the UK to make Lifelong Links an offer to all children and young people in care and care leavers.

Will you join us?

Use our campaign tool below to send a message to your elected representatives. Start by entering your postcode.





Don't just take our word for it...

Family Rights Group

Share the campaign on social media

Downloadable graphics:

Right click on the image or press and hold if you are on a mobile, to save the images

Suggested messages to post:

Lifelong Links ensures care-experienced young people have strong, supportive relationships. That’s why I’m supporting @FamilyRightsGp’s #BuildNotBreak campaign, which is calling for all children in care to be offered Lifelong Links. https://frg.eaction.org.uk/buildnotbreak

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We all need people to turn to. But all too often, young people leave the care system without strong, loving support networks. This is why I’m backing @FamilyRightsGp’s #BuildNotBreak campaign to put relationships front and centre. https://frg.eaction.org.uk/buildnotbreak

Click to tweet

Download our full resource pack including graphics and suggested messages for Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Further information

Campaign Briefing

Read our briefing for more detail on Lifelong Links and its impact

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People pie chart

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

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