Working with social workers and children’s services

Who are children’s services?

Children’s services (sometimes called ‘social services’) work with children and their families. They have a duty to:

• ensure parents and carers have necessary support to raise their children safely
• investigate if a child is being harmed by someone caring for them
• provide care for children not living with their parents – sometimes referred to as “children in care” or “looked-after children”

Depending on your local government setup, children’s services could be part of your:

• local authority
• local council
• district or county councils

If you’re unsure who’s responsible for children in your local area, our Kinship Compass tool could help.

What are social and family support workers?

You might work with a social worker. This is someone employed by children’s services to promote vulnerable children and adult wellbeing.     

You might also work with a family support worker. This is someone who might be employed by a local authority or a charity. They offer practical help and emotional support to families, and can be called other things (like “family outreach officer”, “family key worker”) depending on where you live.

If you’re unsure who to work with in your situation, speak directly to your local authority. If you don’t know their details, you can try our Kinship Compass tool.

When kinship carers might work with children’s services

How and when children’s services work with kinship families depends on how your kinship care arrangement came about. Each situation is so different, so there often isn’t “one size that fits all”.

For example, they might be involved in placing the child with you. Or, you might organise that side within your family, with them helping settle your kinship child into a new school once they’ve moved to live with you.

Whatever the circumstances, children’s services have a legal duty to keep all children in their area safe from harm. They must also make every effort to support families and parents raising their children. It’s a good idea to work with them and follow their advice.

That said, there are many ways you could work together. Their procedures (and teams) might be new to you, which could feel confusing. If you’re unsure about any aspect of children’s services, you can always ask your social or family worker to explain in more detail.

To find out more about the support local authorities should generally offer, see our guide on what local authorities should offer kinship carers.

Contact your local children’s services

You can find local authority contact details and other local information, services and support by using our Kinship Compass tool.

Questions to ask children’s services

If you’re working with children’s services or a social worker, we have a downloadable questions checklist. This can help guide conversations with them, so you get the information you need.

Support from Kinship

Here at Kinship, we offer a range of free support for all kinship carers, including:

• free online and in-person workshops
• online advice and information
• online and in-person peer support groups

To find services, information and support in your local area – including information about your local children’s services – use our Kinship Compass tool.

You can also contact the Kinship advice team for free, non-judgmental advice and information if you live in England or Wales.