How to contact us for advice

Find out more

Telephone Handler
Close form

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.

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.

Call us Email us

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.

Parents Kinship Carers

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.

Web pages Webchat
Exit
Family Rights Group

Menu

Cover Your Tracks
Generic filters
Exact matches only
Donate

Kinship Assessment Guide home page with detailed contents list

5 minute read

Initial Family and Friends Care Assessment: A Good Practice Guide

These assessments are commonly known as viability assessments 

Developed by Family Rights Group in partnership with an expert working group.  

First published in 2017 by Family Rights Group. This revised and updated edition published in 2022 by Family Rights Group.

Endorsed by:

Association of Directors of Children’s Services
Family Justice Council
Cafcass
Catch 22
Coram BAAF
Coram Chambers
Coram Children’s Legal Centre
Association of Lawyers for Children
Family Action
Family Rights Group
Kinship
Kinship Carers UK
Kinship Care Alliance
London Borough of Islington
Principal Social Work Network
The Fostering Network
The Kinship ‘Foster Carers’ Group

Contents:

Members of the 2017 working group

Acknowledgements

Section 1. Introduction: Why initial family and friends care assessments (commonly known as viability assessments) matter

1.1 What is a viability assessment?
1.2 Why undertake a viability assessment?

Section 2. Principles and best practice

2.1 The principles underpinning a viability assessment

a) Conducted in a spirit of enquiry
b) Conducted in a spirit of partnership
c) Remain focused on the child and their needs and development
d) Evidence-based, and include analysis of the evidence
e) A legally sound viability assessment

2.2 Best practice in process and procedures

a) Identifying who to assess
b) When to assess
c) How to assess
d) Presenting the information

Section 3. Factors to consider during the assessment

a) Motivation
b) Understanding of the needs of the child and family
c) Age of carer
d) Accommodation
e) Employment status of carer
f) Finances
g) Health of carer
h) Lifestyle of carer and household members
i) Experience of parenting and significant other relationships
j) Criminal convictions
k) Relationship with child
l) Family dynamics and contact
m) Impact on other household members
n) Working relationships with professionals
o) Potential placement options

Section 4. Undertaking international viability assessments

4.1 International treaties and cooperation
4.2 Factors to consider in international viability assessments
4.3 Contact

Section 5. Forming a conclusion

Appendices

Appendix A – Research evidence by Professor Joan Hunt
Appendix B – Family group conferences
Appendix C – Schedule and example template
Appendix D – Information sheet for families
Appendix E – Useful organisations
Delivering good practice initial assessments of family and friends carers in the context of Covid-19

For further information contact:

Caroline Lynch, Principal Legal Adviser, Family Rights Group
Email: clynch@frg.org.uk 

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