If your child is taken into care by your local council

Summary

Your local council must try to arrange for your child to live with one of the following: * you, their other parent or both of you if you live together * someone who’s already been agreed under a child arrangements order - find out more about child arrangements orders * someone else who has ‘parental responsibility’ If someone has parental responsibility, it means they’re responsible for making important decisions about a child’s care and how the child is brought up. It also means they have the legal right to make these decisions. If your local council decides none of these options are possible, they’ll try to arrange for your child to live with a relative, family friend or someone else they know. This type of arrangement is called ‘kinship care’ or ‘family and friends care’. The person your child lives with will be registered as a foster carer with their local council. You can find out more about kinship care on the Family Rights Group website. If your child can’t live with someone they know, they’ll usually either stay with a local authority foster parent or live in a children's home. Your local council must try to make sure your child lives near their home and their education or.

Key information

• •you, their other parent or both of you if you live together
• •someone who’s already been agreed under a child arrangements order - find out more about child arrangements orders
• •someone else who has ‘parental responsibility’
• •always consider and look after your child's welfare, including their progress in school
• •try to consider the wishes and feelings of people who are important in your child's life, including you, your child’s other parent and anyone else who has parental responsibility
• •try to consider your child's wishes, taking into account their age and how much they understand about their situation
• •consider your child's religion, race, cultural background and first language
• •visiting your child at their new home
• •your child spending some time at home, including overnight stays
• •meeting up at a friend or relative’s home, including overnight stays
• •social media messaging, texts, emails or letters
• •get a court order - if this happens the court can stop your contact for as long as they think is necessary

Practical guidance

• •Source: [If your child is taken into care by your local council](https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/family/children-and-young-people/local-council-support-for-children-and-families/if-your-child-is-taken-into-care-by-your-local-council/)

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