Hi. I've had my 2 nieces and nephew stay with me for 5 months now. They became LAC in March but I've now found out their placement with me has not been approved. I'm not sure what this means for them. Are they going to be moved into 'approved foster care' which be almost certainly mean they'll be separated? Is there an option to appeal? They've been fine with me for so long now I see no reason for them to be moved.
I'd have thought CS would be happy to leave them here since they're not even paying for them.
Placement not approved
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Suzie, FRG Adviser
- Posts: 956
- Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2011 12:25 pm
Re: Placement not approved
Dear jumpingthroughhoops
I am sorry that you have had a negative outcome. As your niece and nephew have been with you for 5 months, I assume that a foster care assessment was being carried out by Children Services.
It is not clear from your post how the children came into your care; are there court proceedings at present? Did the children’s parents agree for them to be placed with you? If it is the case that the children were placed with you in an emergency situation, then Children Services are required to carry out a full foster care assessment within 16 weeks (maximum 24 weeks) of the placement.
As ied53 has asked in her post, do you know the reasons that you have not been approved? Has the social worker provided you with a copy of the assessment? If you have a copy then you should go through it to check that you agree with what has been said about you and your circumstances. You can look at our frequently asked questions here to read about what action you can take now.
You say you are not sure what it means for your niece and nephew as you have not been approved. If the children are accommodated under a s.20 agreement, that is, with the consent of parent(s) or someone else with parental responsibility, Children Services can decide to move the children to approved foster carers but should discuss this with the parent (s). If it is a s.20 agreement and if they withdraw their consent to the children being accommodated, then Children Services will have to go to Court for an order to keep the children in foster care. The children have to be in an approved placement.
Whilst the children have been with you for 5 months, if you are not approved as a foster carer, they should not be in an unapproved placement. It seems that it has taken Children Services a very long time to carry out their assessment of you.
Usually, the full assessment takes place in 2 stages, is it the case that both stages were completed and you went to Panel and was not approved? If you feel that the process was in anyway unfair you can make a complaint. I have included a copy of our advice sheet about becoming a family and friends foster carer for further information.
In your post you say that Children Services are not paying towards the children. If they placed the children with you then the children are ‘looked after’ and you should have been receiving a fostering allowance for each of the children from the time they were placed.
If you wish you can telephone our free advice line on 0808 801 0366 to speak to an Adviser. The advice line is open from 9.30 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. Monday to Friday.
I hope you will find this information helpful.
Best wishes,
Suzie
I am sorry that you have had a negative outcome. As your niece and nephew have been with you for 5 months, I assume that a foster care assessment was being carried out by Children Services.
It is not clear from your post how the children came into your care; are there court proceedings at present? Did the children’s parents agree for them to be placed with you? If it is the case that the children were placed with you in an emergency situation, then Children Services are required to carry out a full foster care assessment within 16 weeks (maximum 24 weeks) of the placement.
As ied53 has asked in her post, do you know the reasons that you have not been approved? Has the social worker provided you with a copy of the assessment? If you have a copy then you should go through it to check that you agree with what has been said about you and your circumstances. You can look at our frequently asked questions here to read about what action you can take now.
You say you are not sure what it means for your niece and nephew as you have not been approved. If the children are accommodated under a s.20 agreement, that is, with the consent of parent(s) or someone else with parental responsibility, Children Services can decide to move the children to approved foster carers but should discuss this with the parent (s). If it is a s.20 agreement and if they withdraw their consent to the children being accommodated, then Children Services will have to go to Court for an order to keep the children in foster care. The children have to be in an approved placement.
Whilst the children have been with you for 5 months, if you are not approved as a foster carer, they should not be in an unapproved placement. It seems that it has taken Children Services a very long time to carry out their assessment of you.
Usually, the full assessment takes place in 2 stages, is it the case that both stages were completed and you went to Panel and was not approved? If you feel that the process was in anyway unfair you can make a complaint. I have included a copy of our advice sheet about becoming a family and friends foster carer for further information.
In your post you say that Children Services are not paying towards the children. If they placed the children with you then the children are ‘looked after’ and you should have been receiving a fostering allowance for each of the children from the time they were placed.
If you wish you can telephone our free advice line on 0808 801 0366 to speak to an Adviser. The advice line is open from 9.30 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. Monday to Friday.
I hope you will find this information helpful.
Best wishes,
Suzie
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