Your rights and Seeing your File
The United Nations has agreed a special set of 40 rights for every child in the world. A child means someone under 18 years of age.
These rights (called the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) are like promises governments make to all people so they're treated equally and fairly.
You also have rights when you are living in care. The people responsible for you like your social worker, foster carer, key worker and independent reviewing officer will help you understand these rights.
Your social worker must listen and write down your views, wishes and feelings and take these seriously when decisions are being made about what is best for you and how you will be cared for. They will explain these decisions so you understand what's happening.
Some of your rights in care:
- You have the right to be safe and protected from violence and harm
- You have the right for adults to listen to you and treat you equally and fairly
- You have the right to information and advice
- You have the right to health care and help with your education
- You have the right to have an advocate help you if you want to make a complaint about your care or how you are being treated
- You have the right to enjoy your religion and culture
- If you have a disability, you have the right to any help you need with it
- You have the right to know why you are in care and when you can see your family and friends
- You have the right to know what is written about you
- You have a right to know what is in your life plan
Seeing your file
If you're in care, or have had involvement from the local authority, we will have records containing information about you. This will include the reasons why you're in care and discussions you've had with your social worker.
If you want to see your file you can to ask your social worker to arrange this for you, or you can write to:
Access to Records
EUG, County Hall
Market Road
Chelmsford
Essex
CM1 1QH
There is no charge for providing you with copies of your information.
Once we receive your request we have 40 days to provide you with your information. At this point you have a right to add your own views about what is written.