Keeping in touch with family and friends

Family time

If it is safe for you to meet with your family members your social worker will arrange regular meetings with them. This is often called family time or ‘contact’.

This will happen if:

• You want it to happen
• Your family want it to happen
• It is safe.

If you want to know more about family time, like where and when it will happen, then you can have a discussion about this with your social worker. If you are unhappy about your family time arrangements you have a chat with your Advocate.

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Overnight stays

Sometimes there is some confusion about overnight stays with your friends, hopefully the information below clears it all up.

Things to remember:

• You can stay overnight with a friend or friends as long as a responsible adult (like your carer) says you can.
• Your carer will need to do what any good parent will do and check the times and arrangements and get in touch with your friend’s parents or carers.
• If you want to stay at your friends for more then two nights or go there lots then some checks may have to be carried out.
• Your carer can say you can’t go to a sleepover the same as a parent can.

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Independent visitors

An independent visitor is someone who becomes friends with children and young people who are in care.

Who can have an independent visitor?

Any child or young person who is in care and doesn’t get to see their parents very much or at all.

What do you do with an independent visitor?

If you have an independent visitor you will get to know one
another and do fun things together.