Keep your family safe and ready: the complete family plan guide

This page is for parents and caregivers. The forms and rules are California's. It is general information, not legal advice. DNLH is not a law office and cannot represent you. For a decision about custody or an immigration case, talk with a lawyer or a DOJ accredited representative. Free help is listed below.

We know this is hard to think about. Making a plan does not mean you expect the worst. It means your children will be with someone you chose, whatever happens. Many families make a plan together, put it in a folder and hope they never use it. That is a gift you can give your children.

On this page

• Why make a family plan now?
• Who should care for my children if I cannot?
• How do I let a caregiver handle school and doctors?
• Should I name a guardian or ask for joint guardianship?
• Which papers should I gather?
• How do I get passports for my children?
• How do I get my money and bills ready?
• What should my children's school and child care know?
• How do I keep my children's health care going?
• How do I talk with my children about this?
• What if immigration agents come to my home?
• What do I do if a parent is detained?
• What if a parent was detained and we had no plan?
• Where can I get free help in the Bay Area?
• What changed in 2025 and 2026?
• Questions people ask
• Printables

Why make a family plan now?

Because when something happens, there is no time to plan. A parent can be detained, become very sick or need to travel at short notice. In those first hours, the questions come fast. Who picks up the children from school? Who can sign a permission slip? Where are the birth certificates? Who pays the rent?

A plan answers those questions ahead of time. It has five parts:

1. A person. One trusted adult who can care for your children, and a backup.
2. Permission. Papers that let that person deal with school and doctors, and, if needed, a court process for longer care.
3. Papers. Birth certificates, passports, health records and phone numbers, in one place.
4. Money. A way for bills to get paid and for your caregiver to buy food and school supplies.
5. Words. A calm, honest way to talk with your children, and a list of who to call.

You do not need to do it all in one night. Do one part this week and the next part next week. Each part you finish makes your family a little safer.

The California Attorney General encourages every family to keep a Family Safety Plan with the name of a trusted adult, emergency phone numbers and where to find important papers. Your children's school is now required to share this kind of information with families too. You are not overreacting. You are doing what the state itself recommends.

Who should care for my children if I cannot?

Someone your children already know and feel safe with. That one choice matters more than any form.

Think about these questions:

• Do my children know this person well? Would they feel safe sleeping at their home?
• Does the person live near school, or could they get the children there?
• Could they care for the children for a few days? For a few months?
• Do they have stable housing? A room or space for the children?
• Do they share my values about faith, discipline and school?
• Would they keep in touch with me, and bring the children to see me if they could?
• Is their own immigration situation stable enough to step in? If you are not sure, ask a legal helper before you choose. You do not need to ask your friend about their status. You can simply ask whether they feel able to do this.

Then have the real conversation. Sit down with the person. Talk about:

• How long they could help: a weekend, a month, longer
• Who pays for food, clothes and school costs, and how
• Your children's routines, health needs and fears
• How they would reach you and your family
• Whether they would sign a caregiver form and, if it came to that, go to court to become guardian

Choose a backup. Life changes. Your first choice may move, get sick or be away when you need them. A second adult keeps the plan working.

If the person is not a relative. A friend, neighbor, godparent or church member can still help. They can use the caregiver form for school and school related health care. The form itself warns that a caregiver who is not a relative or a licensed foster parent may need approval from the county, called resource family approval, to care for a child. This matters most for a long stay. If you are planning a long stay with a friend, ask your county's social services department or a family law helper.

If you share custody. If your children's other parent has rights, they still have them. Talk with them about the plan if it is safe to do so. Under the new joint guardianship law, a court cannot name joint guardians over the other parent's objection unless it finds that custody with that parent would harm the child. If there is a custody order or a restraining order, keep a copy in your folder and talk with a family law helper before you choose someone else. If someone in your home is hurting you, see Where survivors of abuse can get free help.

How do I let a caregiver handle school and doctors?

Use the Caregiver's Authorization Affidavit. It is a free, two page California form. It lets the adult your children live with enroll them in school and agree to school related health care, like the shots and checkups school requires. The links are in the box at the top of this page.

What it does:

• Any caregiver (relative or not) can enroll your child in school and agree to school related medical care.
• A relative caregiver can also agree to most other medical and dental care, the same as a guardian could. Since January 1, 2026, "relative" means any adult related to your child within five degrees by blood, adoption or marriage. That includes aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, great aunts and uncles, stepparents and stepsiblings, and their spouses.
• It goes nowhere official. It is not filed with a court and does not need a notary. Your caregiver keeps it and shows copies to the school and doctors.
• Parents do not have to sign it. The caregiver signs it. You can cancel it at any time.

What it does not do:

• It does not give custody. You are still the parent. Your decisions come first, and a caregiver may not use the form against your wishes.
• It does not open bank accounts or give access to your money. See How do I get my money and bills ready?
• It does not work once your child moves out. The form says it stops being valid when the child no longer lives with the caregiver. The caregiver must then tell the school and doctors.

Does it expire? The form says it does not expire. The California Courts self help page says to sign a new one each year. Clinics and schools may follow either rule. The safe choice: if it is in use, have your caregiver sign a fresh copy each year. If you prepared one before 2026, fill out the new January 2026 edition.

Make copies. One for the caregiver, one for your folder, and one ready for the school and the doctor when it is needed.

What to bring to fill it out: your child's full name and birth date, the caregiver's full name, address and birth date, and the name of the school. A relative caregiver also fills in items about medical care and how they are related.

Should I name a guardian or ask for joint guardianship?

Only if you want someone to have legal custody for a longer time. That takes a court. The caregiver form covers everyday school and health needs. Guardianship goes further: a guardian makes legal decisions about the child, such as medical care and schooling, the way a parent would.

There are three tools. They work together.

1. Name the person you would want (form GC-211). This free court form lets you nominate a guardian. You do not file it right away. You keep it, and it is used if a guardianship case is ever started. California law lets you write that your choice takes effect only if something happens later, such as your absence. The current form does not have a box for this, so ask your court's self help center how to add it.

2. Joint guardianship, new in 2026. Since January 1, 2026, a California court may name a parent who has custody and the person that parent chose as joint guardians when the parent is temporarily unavailable. The law lists reasons like a serious illness, military service, jail or an immigration related action, as long as your nomination names that reason.

What this means for you:

• You stay a parent. You share the role with the person you chose.
• When you are able to care for your child again, you can ask the court to end it. The law presumes that ending it is best for your child.
• The court records are confidential. The law says this information may not be shared with immigration enforcement without a court order.
• If your child's other parent objects, the court cannot name joint guardians unless it finds that custody with that other parent would harm the child.

3. A regular guardianship case. If you are already unavailable, your caregiver can ask the court to become guardian. It costs $225 to start a guardianship of the person. A guardianship of a child's money or property costs $450. Fee waivers are based on the child's income, not the caregiver's.

What about a power of attorney for my children? The courts' self help page says a written child care agreement, technically a power of attorney, can give a caregiver the decisions you list in it. It does not give custody, and some schools and doctors may not accept it. The Immigrant Legal Resource Center does not recommend it for child care in California, because only a court can give custody. The caregiver form is usually the simpler tool. A power of attorney for money is different and can help. See the money section below.

Which papers should I gather?

Everything your caregiver would need in the first week, in one folder, in one safe place. Tell your caregiver where it is.

For each child:

• Birth certificate
• Passport, if they have one
• Social Security card or ITIN letter, if they have one
• Shot record, insurance card, and a list of allergies, medicines, doctors and dentists
• School name, phone number and teachers' names
• Any special education plan (IEP) or 504 plan
• A recent photo

For the parents:

• Your ID, passport, or consular ID
• Your A number and any immigration papers, like a work permit or green card, if you have them. Keep a copy, not your only original, in the folder.
• The name and phone number of your lawyer or legal helper, if you have one
• Your consulate's phone number
• Any custody order, restraining order or court papers about the children

Plan papers:

• The prepared caregiver form and a list of who your caregiver and backup are
• Your GC-211, if you made one
• Copies of your lease, bills and bank information (see money section)

Memorize two numbers. Phones get taken or lose power. Learn your caregiver's number and one family member's number by heart. Help older children learn them too. Practice like a game.

Keep the A number where family can find it. If a parent is detained, family uses the A number to find them and to check court dates. Give a copy to your caregiver.

How do I get passports for my children?

Apply early. If your children are U.S. citizens, a U.S. passport proves it and lets them travel if your family ever needs to be together outside the country. It also takes weeks, and it needs both parents.

For a child under 16:

1. Both parents go with the child to a passport acceptance facility. Find one and the list of what to bring on travel.state.gov.
2. If one parent cannot go, that parent signs Form DS-3053, Statement of Consent, in front of a notary, and includes a copy of the ID they showed the notary. Submit it within 90 days of signing. If you have sole custody, you can bring a court order or other proof instead.
3. Bring the documents on the State Department's list, the consent form if needed, and the fees.
4. Pay $100 to the State Department and $35 to the place where you apply. Paying $60 more speeds it up.
5. Wait. Routine service takes about 4 to 6 weeks, expedited about 2 to 3 weeks, plus mailing time.

A passport for a child under 16 lasts 5 years and cannot be renewed by mail. You apply in person each time. Put the expiration date on your calendar.

Why this belongs in your plan: if a parent is detained, getting the other parent's consent gets much harder. Doing it now, while both parents can sign, saves your family weeks of trouble.

Children born in another country get passports from that country's embassy or consulate. Call your consulate to ask what they need. Ask too about registering any U.S. born children with your country, if your family might ever need it. A lawyer can tell you whether travel is right for your situation before anyone leaves.

How do I get my money and bills ready?

Make sure your caregiver can pay for your children's needs, and that your rent and bills do not fall behind, even if you cannot reach them for a while. The caregiver form gives no access to money, so plan this part separately.

Start with a list. Write down:

• Rent or mortgage: amount, due date, who to pay and how
• Utilities, phone, car payment, insurance: amounts and due dates
• Where your paycheck goes, and anyone who owes you money
• Your bank or credit union, and the last four digits of each account (not full numbers, and never passwords, in the folder)
• Where any cash savings are kept

Then choose how your caregiver will get money. Ask your bank which options it offers. Banks set their own rules. Some common choices:

• Set aside money now. Even a small amount in an envelope or a separate account your caregiver can reach can cover the first week of food and school costs.
• A power of attorney for money. This lets a person you trust handle your money matters if you cannot. In California, a power of attorney must be dated, signed, and either notarized or signed in front of two witnesses. Ask your bank whether it has its own form. Choose someone you trust completely. Talk with a legal helper before you sign one, because it gives real power over your money.
• Automatic payments for rent and key bills, if you have a steady balance.

Do not have a bank account? You may be able to open one with an ITIN or a consular ID. See Open a bank account with an ITIN or consular ID. A bank account is safer than keeping large amounts of cash at home.

Keep earning credits you are owed. Families who file taxes with an ITIN may get the CalEITC and the Young Child Tax Credit. See CalEITC and Young Child Tax Credit with an ITIN.

If you are owed pay. If a parent is detained, any wages they earned are still owed. See Getting your final paycheck and How to file a wage claim.

What should my children's school and child care know?

Who your trusted adult is. Put that person on the emergency contact list at every school and child care your children attend. Add clear instructions about who may pick them up.

This list carries real weight. Under California law, when a school learns a parent is not available to care for a child, the school must first follow the parent's instructions in the emergency contact information. The school should not call child protective services unless it cannot arrange care that way. Licensed child care centers and state preschools must follow the same rule since 2026.

Do this now:

1. Ask the school office for the emergency contact form, or update it in the parent portal.
2. Add your trusted adult and your backup, with phone numbers.
3. Write who may pick up your children, and who may not.
4. Do the same at child care, after school programs and sports.
5. Check it again every fall and whenever a phone number changes.

What the school cannot ask. California schools may not collect information about your family's citizenship or immigration status, except where state or federal law requires it. No one needs a Social Security number or immigration papers to enroll a child in a California public school. See Every child can go to public school.

If immigration agents come to school. California guidance says school staff may not let immigration agents into areas closed to the public, or share student or family information, without a judicial warrant, a subpoena or a court order. Schools need a parent's consent before an agent interviews a student, unless a judge's warrant or court order says otherwise. Since 2025, schools must have a plan to tell parents when immigration enforcement is confirmed on campus.

If your caregiver needs to enroll your child somewhere new. The signed caregiver form counts as proof that the child lives with the caregiver. The school may also ask for proof of the caregiver's address, like a lease, utility bill or government mail.

How do I keep my children's health care going?

Keep their coverage active and write down what a caregiver would need to know. Children under 19 in California can get full scope Medi-Cal no matter their immigration status.

The 2026 Medi-Cal changes do not take coverage away from children. Since January 1, 2026, adults 19 and older without satisfactory immigration status cannot newly sign up for full Medi-Cal. Children under 19 are not part of that cutoff. The state's own chart shows children under 19 keep full Medi-Cal and full dental with no premium in July 2027. It also shows that in January 2027, some children move from a health plan to regular Medi-Cal billing, called fee for service. That changes how care is billed, not whether your child is covered. See Medi-Cal for adults in 2026 for the adult rules.

Renew on time. Open every letter from Medi-Cal and the county. Missing a renewal can end coverage. Put the renewal month in your folder so your caregiver knows.

Worried about public charge? A new federal public charge rule took effect September 18, 2026. California's health agency says public charge does not apply to most immigrants already in the U.S., and a child's benefits are not counted as the parent's own, though officers may look at them when reviewing a family's support. If you have, or plan to file, an immigration application, ask a lawyer or DOJ accredited representative before you drop your child's coverage. Do not drop it out of fear alone.

Write a health page for each child:

• Doctor and dentist, with phone numbers
• Medi-Cal or insurance number
• Allergies and conditions, like asthma or diabetes
• Daily medicines, doses and the pharmacy
• What helps when they are upset or cannot sleep

Which caregivers can say yes to care? A relative caregiver with the signed caregiver form can agree to most medical and dental care. A caregiver who is not a relative can agree only to school related care. For other care, they would need a guardianship or your direct consent. This is one more reason to choose a relative as your first or backup caregiver if you can.

How do I talk with my children about this?

Honestly, calmly, and in words that fit their age. Children notice more than we think. Silence can scare them more than the truth.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the national group of children's doctors, gives this advice:

Start by listening. Ask what they already know or have heard. "What's on your mind?" works for any age. Children sometimes hide their worries to protect the adults they love.

Be honest, even when you do not have every answer. Avoid "Don't worry about it." Use "and" sentences instead: "I don't know everything that will happen, and I am right here with you."

Match their age.

• Young children need short, simple words and a lot of reassurance. "If I can't pick you up one day, Tía Rosa will. She knows where your favorite blanket is."
• Older children and teens can handle the real facts. Answer honestly. It is fine to say you do not know. Let them help with small tasks, like learning a phone number or packing a go bag.

Tell them the plan. Children feel safer when they know who will care for them. Say the caregiver's name. Let them visit the caregiver's home. Practice the phone numbers together.

Keep routines. Meals, bedtime, homework and church or family time help children feel steady. Kids cope better when they know what to expect.

Limit scary news. Turn off violent videos and news on TV and phones. Watch together if they want to see something, and be ready for questions.

Do calming things together. Draw, sing, pray, take a walk, or breathe slowly together.

Watch for signs of stress: trouble sleeping, stomachaches or headaches, big mood changes, bedwetting coming back, or new trouble focusing at school. If you see these, talk with your pediatrician and ask the school counselor about support. See When your teen is struggling and Mental health care without fear.

What not to say: do not make promises you cannot keep, like "Nothing will ever happen to us." Do not ask a child to keep secrets from teachers or doctors. Do not put a child in charge of younger siblings as a long term plan.

What if immigration agents come to my home?

You have rights, whatever your status. You have the right to stay silent. You may decide not to open your door. An agent generally needs a warrant signed by a judge to come into your home. Do not sign anything before you talk with a lawyer.

Get ready now:

• Print a free red card for each adult and keep one by the door. Red cards are free from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. Do not pay for them.
• Save your county's rapid response number in your phone and write it in your folder.
• Teach older children not to open the door to anyone they do not know, and to get an adult.
• Decide which adult will call the caregiver and the rapid response line.

For the full guide, see If immigration agents come (in review) and Who to call if you see immigration agents.

What do I do if a parent is detained?

Make sure the children are safe first. Then find out where the parent is, and get legal help fast. Here is the order that works.

In the first hours:

1. Get the children to the caregiver. Call the caregiver. If the children are at school, call the school and say who is picking them up. The school must follow the parent's emergency contact instructions first.
2. Call rapid response. San Mateo County: (203) 666-4472. Santa Clara County: (408) 290-1144. Both are open 24 hours. Give the person's full name, date of birth, country of origin and A number if you have it. In Santa Clara County, the network can connect families to attorneys and send people to support you.
3. Do not sign anything you do not understand, and do not let anyone pressure you into paying for help. Only a lawyer or a DOJ accredited representative may give immigration legal advice.

In the first day or two:

4. Find where the person is held. Use the ICE Online Detainee Locator. The best search uses the A number and country of birth. Without the A number, use the exact first and last name and country of birth. A new detention may not show up right away, and the information can be up to 8 hours old. Children under 18 do not appear in the locator.
5. Check for court dates. Call the immigration court line at 1-800-898-7180, 24 hours a day in English and Spanish. Enter the 9 digit A number without the letter A. It can tell you the next hearing date, time and place. You can also check online at the EOIR Automated Case Information page with the A number and nationality.
6. Get a lawyer or accredited representative. Call a nonprofit right away. In East Palo Alto, Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA) helps low income residents of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, including people in detention. Call 650-326-6440, or walk in Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 1861 Bay Road. More options are in Free or low cost immigration legal help.
7. Call the consulate of the person's country. The Immigrant Legal Resource Center advises every family to keep the consulate's number ready for this moment.

In the first week:

8. Your caregiver signs the caregiver form, now that the children live with them, and gives copies to the school and doctor.
9. Tell ICE the person is a parent. ICE has a directive on detained parents and legal guardians of minor children (Directive 11064.4, issued July 2, 2025). ICE says it helps detained parents take part in family court, child welfare and guardianship cases. Call the ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line at 1-888-351-4024, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time (5 a.m. to 5 p.m. in California), and say it is a "Parental Interests Inquiry."
10. Decide about guardianship. If the parent may be away for a long time, talk with a family law helper about joint guardianship or guardianship.
11. Keep money and bills moving. Use your money plan. Collect any final pay owed.
12. Keep the children's routine as normal as you can: school, meals, bedtime, church, activities.

Write things down. Keep a notebook with every call: date, who you spoke with, what they said. This helps lawyers and saves you from repeating yourself.

What if a parent was detained and we had no plan?

You can still act today. It is not too late.

• A relative or friend can care for the children right now. The caregiver form does not need the parent's signature. The adult the children live with can fill it out and sign it, as long as the statements are true.
• Call the school. Tell them who is caring for the children. Ask them to update the emergency contacts. If the parent can make a phone call, they can confirm with the school.
• Gather what you can. Birth certificates and health records can be requested again. Start with the school and the children's doctor, who already have records.
• Ask about guardianship if the parent may be gone for a long time. Fee waivers are based on the child's income.
• Call rapid response and legal help using the steps above.

If no adult can care for the children, the county child welfare agency may become involved. That is hard, and it is also not the end of the road. ICE's directive says it helps detained parents take part in child welfare and family court cases. Get a lawyer involved as early as you can.

Where can I get free help in the Bay Area?

You do not have to do this alone. These are free public offices and nonprofits for San Mateo and Santa Clara County residents. If you live somewhere else, start with the DOJ list of free legal service providers and your county court's self help center. Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

For a family plan, caregiver forms and guardianship:

• California Courts Self Help Guide: step by step guardianship help and a Chat Now button. selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/guardianship
• San Mateo County Superior Court Self Help Center: guardianship information and LiveChat help. sanmateo.courts.ca.gov/self-help
• Santa Clara County Superior Court Self Help Center: 408-882-2926, phone help Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (no voicemail). Help with guardianship of the person is given through a workshop. Self Help Center page
• Immigrant Legal Resource Center: a free family preparedness plan with worksheets in English, Spanish and other languages. Family Preparedness Plan (ILRC)

For immigration legal help and detention:

• Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA): 650-326-6440. Walk ins Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1861 Bay Road, East Palo Alto.
• Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County: (650) 558-0915.
• Bay Area Legal Aid advice line: 1-800-551-5554.
• Full list for both counties: Free or low cost immigration legal help in the Bay Area.

If agents are near you or someone is detained:

• San Mateo County Rapid Response Hotline: (203) 666-4472, 24 hours. Run by Faith in Action with county funding.
• Santa Clara County Rapid Response Network: (408) 290-1144, 24 hours.

For other needs while a parent is away:

• 211: free help finding food, housing and other local services. See 211: free help finding local services.
• Food: see Food help.
• If someone at home is hurting you: National Domestic Violence Hotline, 800-799-7233, or text START to 88788. See Where survivors of abuse can get free help.

What changed in 2025 and 2026?

These are the changes we confirmed on official or primary sources.

• AB 495, the Family Preparedness Plan Act of 2025, was signed October 12, 2025 (chapter 664). Since January 1, 2026:
  • More relatives can use the caregiver form to agree to medical care: any adult related within five degrees by blood, adoption or marriage.
  • A court may name a parent and the person the parent chose as joint guardians when the parent is temporarily unavailable, including for an immigration related action. Those court records are confidential.
  • A parent's guardian nomination can be written to take effect only after a later event.
  • Schools, licensed child care and state preschools must first follow a parent's emergency contact instructions when a parent is unavailable, and may not collect immigration status information except where the law requires it.
  • Schools must share the Attorney General's guidance with families, including family safety plans and the caregiver form.
• New caregiver form. California Courts revised the Caregiver's Authorization Affidavit on January 1, 2026.
• New guardianship forms are proposed for January 1, 2027, including a joint guardianship petition and a revised GC-211. They were recommended for the Judicial Council's October 24, 2026 meeting and are not adopted yet.
• School protections. AB 49 and SB 98 were signed September 20, 2025. Schools must have a plan to tell parents when immigration enforcement is confirmed on campus.
• ICE detained parents directive. ICE issued Directive 11064.4 on July 2, 2025, on the detention and removal of parents and legal guardians of minor children.
• ICE home entry memo. A May 2025 memo on entering homes with an administrative warrant came to light in January 2026. DHS said in May 2026 that the practice is paused while it is reviewed. We found no later official update as of October 21, 2026.
• Medi-Cal. Since January 1, 2026, adults 19 and older without satisfactory immigration status cannot newly enroll in full Medi-Cal. Children under 19 can still enroll.
• Public charge. A new federal public charge rule took effect September 18, 2026.

Laws and policies are changing fast. If something on this page does not match what you are told, ask a lawyer or accredited representative.

Questions people ask

Do I need a lawyer to make a family plan? No. You can choose a caregiver, fill out the caregiver form, update school contacts and gather papers yourself, for free. Talk with a lawyer or the court self help center before guardianship or a power of attorney.

Does the caregiver form need to be notarized? No. It is not filed with a court and does not need a notary. See How do I let a caregiver handle school and doctors?

Does my caregiver need papers? The caregiver form does not ask about immigration status. Think about whether their own situation is stable enough to step in, and ask a legal helper if you are unsure.

Can my neighbor use the caregiver form? Yes, for school enrollment and school related health care. Only a relative can use it for other medical care. A non relative caring for a child for a long time may need county approval.

Will making a plan tell immigration where I am? The caregiver form stays with your caregiver. It is not filed anywhere. Joint guardianship court records are confidential under the 2026 law.

Will the school call child protective services if I am detained? The school must first follow your emergency contact instructions. It should call child protective services only if it cannot arrange care that way. Keep your contacts current.

Can my U.S. citizen child leave the country with me? That is a serious decision with long term effects. Get your child's passport now, while both parents can sign. Talk with a lawyer before anyone travels. See How do I get passports for my children?

How do I find someone who was detained? Use the ICE Online Detainee Locator with the A number and country of birth, and call your county rapid response line. See What do I do if a parent is detained?

Should I take my child off Medi-Cal to be safe? Do not drop it out of fear. Children under 19 can have full Medi-Cal whatever their status. If you have an immigration case, ask a lawyer how public charge applies to you.

What should I tell my five year old? Something short and true: who would care for them, and that you love them. "If I can't come, Tío Luis will pick you up." See How do I talk with my children about this?

Where do I get a red card? Free from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. Never pay for one. See Get a free know your rights red card.

How often should we look at our plan? Every six months, and any time a phone number, school or caregiver changes.

Printables

You love your children, and making this plan is one of the clearest ways to show it. Take the first step this week. Whatever comes, you do not face it alone.