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FREE Confidential Advice Service 0808 801 0366
We are the charity in England and Wales that advises families whose children are involved with or need children’s services because of welfare needs or concerns.
We promote policies and practices, including family group conferences, that help children to be raised safely and securely within their families, and campaign for effective support to assist family and friends carers, including grandparents who are raising children that cannot live at home.
A one day seminar that will present important new research findings and consider how local authorities can effectively fulfil their statutory duties in a harsh financial climate. For more information please visit our training and events page.
21st March 2012, York, 28th March 2012, Birmingham, 30th March 2012, London
We are delighted to be running a Family and Friends Care Training Seminar, hosted by Withers LLP. The seminar would benefit solicitors, barristers or other legal advisers involved in advising relatives and friends who take on the care of other people's children.
This confirms that local authorities, who ask relatives or friends to care for children who cannot remain safely with their parents, have a duty to provide support for the child. We come across many such cases. It is incumbent on local and central government to ensuring this ruling is implemented.
“The Court of Appeal today has thrown out Kent Council’s claim that they did not have responsibility to support a grandmother, who had taken on the care of her grandchild in 2005, at their request. The Council claimed it was a private family arrangement despite their substantial involvement in placing the child. This long awaited judgement is significant in confirming that local authorities across the country who ask relatives or friends to care for children who cannot remain safely with their parents, have a legal duty to provide support including financial assistance for the child.
We are getting increasing number of calls to our advice service from impoverished relatives who are struggling to bring up very vulnerable children at their local authority’s request, but are subsequently denied help. This judgement therefore has widespread implications for them, yet cash strapped local authorities will struggle to meet this duty without additional government funding. It is now incumbent on both local and central government to find ways to ensure this ruling is implemented in children’s best interests.”
Case: SA, R (on the application of) v Kent County Council [2011] EWCA Civ 1303 (10 November 2011).
We can advise you if you are a parent, friend or relative and social workers are involved in your child’s life, or you need extra support from Children’s Services. We also have a parental advocacy project.
Contact us:
Call our advice line on: 0808 801 0366
Email us: advice@frg.org.uk.
Visit our: discussion boards.
Visit our: Need help and advice section.
© Family Rights Group 2007-2011, FRG Ltd. Company Limited by Guarantee;
Registered in England: 2702928; Registered Charity No: 1015665