How to contact us for advice
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.
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.
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.
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.
Family Rights Group strongly believes the Human Rights Act has made a profound difference to families involved in the child welfare and family justice system. The Act should be retained.
Since coming into force in 2000, the Act has been used in child welfare and legal proceedings to ensure fair process and prevent the abuse of power by the state. The Act imposes a duty on ‘public authorities’ to ensure that their decisions do not breach the Convention rights of children and adults. Public authorities include the courts and local authorities. The Act seeks to prevent unnecessary interference by the state in private and family life.
This briefing outlines how we think the Human Rights Act has influenced child welfare and family justice law in England and Wales. It explains how the duties imposed by the Act on local authorities has resulted in fairer and more transparent decision making for vulnerable children and their families. It is informed by our direct work with families who are involved with local authority and judicial decision-making processes in respect of the safety and well-being of their children.
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