When Children's Services (which used to be known as social services) become involved with your family, it can be very worrying. We've asked an expert for their advice on what to expect and where you can get help if you need it.

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Whether it's expected or unexpected, a call from Children's Services can send a parent into panic mode.

We asked legal expert Jess from the charity Family Rights Group , which works with parents in England and Wales whose children are in need, at risk or in the care system, to explain what might happen if Children's Services become involved with your family, and how you can get help and support through the process …

Who can make a referral to Children’s Services?

‘There are a number of reasons why Children’s Services may become involved with your family,’ explains Jess.

• You may have approached them yourself for parenting support .
• The school, your GP or another professional involved with your family may have asked for support on your behalf.
• There might have been a child protection referral by a professional working with your child because of worries about safeguarding .
• Someone in the community, such as a neighbour or a family member, might have raised a concern about your child’s welfare.

What happens if Children’s Services conduct an assessment?

‘Once Children's Services has accepted a referral they will start an assessment of your family,’ explains Jess.

‘Unless the child or children involved require immediate protection, this assessment can take up to 45 working days to complete.’

A social worker from Children’s Services (formerly known as social services) will be in touch with you to find out about:

• Your child’s needs (including health needs, physical needs, emotional needs, educational needs and developmental needs).
• Your parenting – your strengths as well as any difficulties you may have in caring for your child.
• Whether your child might have suffered any significant harm or be at risk of suffering any harm.
• Any environmental factors that may impact on your family including housing, issues in your local community and your support network (including from family and friends).

‘The social worker will talk to the family and often talk to the child or children away from the family as well,’ explains Jess. 'It is the social worker’s job to try and find out what your child thinks about their situation and decide on any help your family needs.

‘Although the assessment may feel very intrusive, the social worker should carry out any contact with your family in a way that limits any distress to you or your child.

'It’s in everyone’s interest that you co-operate as much as possible with the social worker.

‘Try to look at it as an opportunity for you to listen to any concerns that are being raised and address these, as well as sharing your own views and asking about any support that might be available to your family.’

What possible outcomes are there after an assessment by Children’s Services?

You will be entitled to a copy of the assessment. It might say that:

• Your family does not need support from Children's Services. If you disagree with this, you could challenge the decision by making a complaint .
• Your child is a child in need and is entitled to family support services .
• There are child protection concerns, which may lead to a child protection conference .

How will Children’s Services decide whether my child is at risk of harm?

'The vast majority of children remain with their families throughout the child protection process and afterwards,' reassures Jess.

'However, the fact that there are child protection enquiries does mean that children’s services are concerned about your child’s welfare and/or safety.

'If they continue to be concerned, they can apply to court for an order saying they can remove your child from your care.

'However, if they plan to do this, they should normally tell you by letter and give you a final chance to make sure your child is safe before they apply to court. If there is an emergency, these steps may not apply.'

According to the Children Act 1989 , a court may make a care order if:

• the child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm; and that the harm, or likelihood of harm, is attributable to the care given to the child
• the child is deemed beyond parental control.

What happens if Children’s Services are concerned my child is at risk of immediate harm?

‘Occasionally, there may be a concern that a child is at serious risk of suffering immediate harm.

'In this case, the social worker might want a parent to agree to plans around protecting the child until the assessment is completed,’ explains Jess.

‘This might include arranging for the child to live somewhere else.’

What can Children’s Services do to protect a child?

Before taking steps to remove a child from their family, Children's Services should consider all possible options to keep the family together, including:

• Asking the person who poses a potential risk to the child to move out of the family home and stay away from the child until a risk assessment has been completed.
• Asking a parent to move somewhere safe with their child until any potentially risky person has been assessed.
• Arranging for a parent to be supervised with their child by a family member, such as a grandparent.
• Arranging for a parent to move to a monitored placement with the child, such as a mother and baby foster placement or a mother and baby unit.
• Asking the parent to agree to the child being cared for by a friend or family member, such as a grandparent or, if there was no one suitable, to agree to the child going into foster care. This is called voluntary accommodation or section 20 accommodation.

‘If none of the above are possible, Children’s Services may apply for a court order giving the local authority shared parental responsibility and the ability to make decisions about the child including where s/he will live,’ explains Jess.

‘In these circumstances, Children’s Services would still need to consider placing the child with another parent, family members or other connected people first before placing with stranger foster carers.

‘The court will want to hear the parents’ views and parents are entitled to have a solicitor representing them in court.

‘In an absolute emergency, Children’s Services can apply for an Emergency Protection Order or the police can remove children into police protection for up to 72 hours.

‘If there is any suggestion that your child cannot remain in your care, you should immediately get legal advice from a solicitor specialising in children’s law.’

Find a list of local solicitors at the Law Society .

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