Many parents are hesitant about approaching Social Services for help, because they think their child will be taken away, that there will be too much state intervention, or that Social Services is connected to other agencies such as the DWP or the Home Office. Parents should be reassured that local authorities have a legal 'duty to promote the upbringing of children within their own family, by providing a range and level of services appropriate to those children's needs'. (Section 17(1) of the Children Act 1989).

Parents should be given information about their rights and the roles of Social Services, so that they feel confident about contacting statutory or voluntary agencies to access the services to which they are entitled and can make informed decisions.

Social Service carers may be the only option where there are no family or friends able to provide any form of support. If family or friends are able to provide a limited response, Social Service carers may provide complementary services such as foster carers providing short-term or respite care, while the family provides long-term care.

Foster carers from voluntary childcare agencies or Social Services are assessed and provided with training and support in order to be 'approved' as foster carers. In making such arrangements, Social Services need to consider keeping children together, if this is in their best interests, while trying to place the child in a familiar neighbourhood and taking into account the child's race, religion, culture and language.