Child safety concerns and 'Care proceedings'

Sometimes people who know you can be very worried that you are not being looked after properly or you may be at risk of being hurt.

If this happens the local authority need to make sure you are safe and will ask the family court to help decide what is best for you.

The court asks us to speak with all the important people in your life to find out if you are safe and to let the court know what we find.

The court will make important decisions about you and your family.

A family court looks a bit like an office.

In some courts everyone sits around a table and in others the judge or magistrates will sit at the front.

The family court is not a court where people go if they have done something wrong. It is a place where important decisions are made such as where you should live and who you should see.

Judges and magistrates listen carefully to what everyone has to say and give everyone a chance to speak.

They will also ask questions and want everyone to speak the truth.

Judges and magistrates don’t wear wigs in the family courts.

They will decide what is best for you and what happens next.

Children don’t have to go to court.

If you want to, you can write a letter or draw a picture to say what you feel. We will help you if you would like help. We will make sure it is sent to court.

You may want to meet the person who is making decisions about you. If you want to do this, tell us and we will speak with the court to see if it’s ok.

All children, no matter who they are or where they are from, have rights.

Rights are things you should have as a person, like the right to an education or the right to life.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is an agreement between countries which sets out the rights that all children should have.

If you want to know more visit the Children’s Rights Wales website.

We work with a of lot of different people to get the best for children and young people in Wales.

If you would like to know more about these people, you can look at our information booklet or speak with us and we will help you get in touch with them.

If you are worried or need support you can also speak to Childline on 0800 1111 or chat to them online. 

We always want to improve. So we always want to hear what you thought about the work we did with you. You can fill in a feedback form and we will see if we can improve.