Petitions/Non means tested Legal Aid for foster carers challenging Council's care plans
StatusOngoing
Opened29 May 2026
Closes
Government response
Parliamentary debateNot eligible
Milestones

Provide non-means-tested Legal Aid for foster carers challenging Local Authority care plans through court orders (Adoption/SGO). Carers shouldn't face financial ruin to protect a child's welfare. We need a level playing field to ensure the child’s best interests are always the priority in court.

Authorities have substantial funds for care plans, but foster carers must self-fund challenges, costing tens of thousands. Foster carers have successfully challenged local authority care plans in court because they were not in the best interests of the child, but this can cost tens of thousands of pounds. We believe the current system silences carers via legal costs. We must remove means-testing to ensure justice isn't dependent on a carer's bank balance.

10,000
100,000

Constituency engagement ranking

Laura Kyrke-Smith
1Laura Kyrke-Smith MP
Aylesbury
3
Ruth Cadbury
2Ruth Cadbury MP
Brentford and Isleworth
2
Dr Rupa Huq
3Dr Rupa Huq MP
Ealing Central and Acton
2
James Murray
4James Murray MP
Ealing North
2
Sarah Jones
5Sarah Jones MP
Croydon West
1
Deirdre Costigan
6Deirdre Costigan MP
Ealing Southall
1
Danny Kruger
7Danny Kruger MP
East Wiltshire
1
Jeremy Corbyn
8Jeremy Corbyn MP
Islington North
1
Joe Powell
9Joe Powell MP
Kensington and Bayswater
1
Helen Morgan
10Helen Morgan MP
North Shropshire
1