Sibling relationships in care proceedings

Where there is a sibling pair or group within care proceedings, and consideration is being given to placing them in separate placements, the local authority will undertake a sibling assessment.

What is a sibling assessment?

Sibling assessments are often referred to as Together or Apart assessments. They are an assessment in relation to the siblings to consider the sibling relationship and to inform care planning for the children, i.e. whether it is in the best interests of the siblings to be placed together and if not, and what contact they should have with each other. 

Who is involved in a sibling assessment?

A sibling assessment is a multidisciplinary assessment, which means that the social worker undertaking the assessment will liaise with other professionals involved with the children, such as foster carers, the school, family time supervisors, and health professionals. 

Update on the law 

The right to maintain contact with siblings is to be strengthened in law for children in care by an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. This amendment was welcomed by the House of Lords on 25th March 2026 and will be debated by the House of Commons. 

Under the current law (Section 34(1) Children Act 1989), parents have an automatic right to reasonable contact with their children; however, siblings do not have the same rights, and an application to court must be made if an order for contact is sought.

 All local authorities in England and Wales will be required to promote and facilitate contact for children in care who are separated from their siblings unless it is not in the children’s best interests or where the local authority has other concerns about the children’s wellbeing. This will also include half-siblings and step-siblings.

Children’s Minister Josh MacAlister has commented the following:

“It’s a travesty that children in care can end up losing contact with their brothers and sisters when they go into care, and we want that contact to be maintained wherever possible for the sake of their emotional stability and their futures.”

Watch this space for a further update!

Get in touch

If you would like to know more about sibling relationships in care proceedings or have a family-related matter you wish to discuss, please contact enquiries@tmjlegal.co.uk or telephone 01429 235 616 to arrange an initial consultation with a member of our team.

please get in touch to make a free, no-obligation appointment.