Social services work to protect children from things that harm them.
Sometimes this means that a child needs to live somewhere other
than with their family.
Often the family and social services
agree when the child needs to live somewhere else.
Social services make a formal decision in accordance
with a law called the Social Services Act.
But sometimes the family don’t agree
and say no to the child living somewhere else.
If the situation is serious and the child needs protection,
social services might decide that the child must be moved anyway.
There is a special law that says social services
must protect children if necessary.
It is called the Care of Young Persons (Special Provisions) Act
and is abbreviated LVU.
When social services and the family don’t agree,
a court must make the decision.
The court is independent
and not associated with social services.
The court appoints a lawyer to support the family,
at no cost to the family.
In court, the family describe their perspective on the situation
and what they think the child needs.
Then the court decides whether the child must be moved.
The child and the parents stay in touch with each other,
even when the child lives somewhere else.
But sometimes contact is restricted,
if it can harm the child.
Social services are responsible for the child’s welfare
and social workers talk to the child regularly.
Sometimes it is best for the child
to live apart from their family for a long time.
Other times the child can move back home
because the situation has improved.