How do children become ‘looked after’?
Children usually come into our care via the following routes:
- Parents have asked us to help them for a short time whilst support is provided to the family to facilitate the child’s return home. Parental responsibility remains with the parent or guardian.
- The child is at significant risk of harm and the court decides that a care order should be put in place. The Local Authority then takes on parental responsibility for the child and becomes a legal parent, alongside the child’s parent or guardian.
What happens when a child is taken into care?
We will assess the child and their circumstances before agreeing care arrangements with the child (if they can understand) and their family. These arrangements can include a plan for the process of returning the child to the family home.
Find out more about the care and support protection plan.
Our role as a legal parent
Our priorities for children who are looked after are the same as all parents. We want them to be happy, healthy and safe, and able to reach their potential. We want children to have a voice, choice and control, with regular opportunities to share their views. All children looked after have their own allocated Social Worker.
Do you look after somebody else’s child?
If so, you may be in a ‘Private Fostering Arrangement’ and you need to tell the Local Authority about it.
You or the child’s parent should do this 6 weeks before the arrangement begins, but in an emergency you should inform us within 48 hours.
For more information contact us:
- Phone: 01492 575111 Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm or 0300 123 3079 at any other time and on bank holidays
- E-mail: duty@conwy.gov.uk