Kinship Helplines in England: Family Rights Group, Kinship Charity and Child Law Advice

When you are caring for a relative's child, you do not have to work everything out alone. Several free helplines in England offer specialist advice to kinship carers — real people who understand the legal framework and can talk through your specific situation. The challenge is knowing which helpline to call for which question.

Kinship Charity — 0300 123 7015

The Kinship charity (formerly Grandparents Plus) runs the national advice service for kinship carers in England and Wales. Their helpline is the broadest and often the best starting point.

What they cover:

• Understanding informal kinship care arrangements
• Your rights as a kinship carer (with or without a court order)
• Financial support options, including local authority kinship allowances
• School admissions and education issues
• The Kinship Local Offer and what your council should provide
• Peer support groups in your area

Best for: general questions about kinship care, finding local support services, understanding your entitlements.

The Kinship charity also runs an online advice service and local peer support groups. Their website carries detailed guides on most aspects of kinship care in England.

Family Rights Group — 0808 801 0366

The Family Rights Group (FRG) specialises in advice where Children's Services or social workers are involved. If the local authority has contacted you, or you are worried about social services becoming involved, FRG is the helpline to call.

What they cover:

• Social services assessments and what to expect
• Connected persons (kinship) foster carer assessments
• Child protection processes and your rights within them
• Support during care proceedings
• Understanding the difference between informal arrangements and local authority placements

Best for: situations involving social workers, Children's Services referrals, or questions about whether the local authority should be assessing or supporting the arrangement.

FRG's advice line is free and confidential. They also provide a written advice service by email for complex situations that benefit from a detailed response.

Child Law Advice (Coram) — 0300 330 5480

Child Law Advice is run by the Coram Children's Legal Centre and provides specialist legal information on children's rights and family law in England.

What they cover:

• Parental Responsibility and what it means in practice
• The difference between a Child Arrangements Order and a Special Guardianship Order
• School admissions and exclusions law
• Education rights for children in kinship care
• Medical consent and children's rights to confidentiality

Best for: specific legal questions about the Children Act 1989, education law, or when you need to understand the legal position before making a decision (such as whether to apply for a court order).

The service is staffed by legally trained advisers. They do not represent you in court but can explain the law and help you understand your options.

Your Local Authority's Kinship Team

Since the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 came into force, every local authority in England must publish a Kinship Local Offer detailing the support available to kinship carers. Many councils now run dedicated kinship care teams that can help with:

• Discretionary financial payments
• Referrals to local support services
• Strategic education support through the Virtual School Head
• Housing advice when your home does not suit an additional child

Contact your council's Children's Services department and ask for the kinship care team or the kinship local offer. If they cannot direct you, the Kinship charity helpline can tell you what your council should be providing.

When a Helpline Is Not Enough

Helplines are excellent for understanding your situation and knowing your options. They are not a substitute for legal representation if you are entering court proceedings, facing care proceedings, or dealing with a dispute over the child's care.

If your situation has moved beyond information and advice, the helplines above can point you toward legal aid solicitors who specialise in family law. Legal aid is not automatic because a safeguarding concern exists; it may be available for particular in-scope family matters, subject to the applicable merits and financial eligibility rules.

For a structured walkthrough of the day-to-day practicalities — delegation letters, school enrolment, GP registration, and medical consent — the England kinship consent guide pulls everything into one place.

See more England guides →