Benefits advice relative to a SGO

User avatar
Suzie, FRG Adviser
Posts: 950
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2011 12:25 pm

Re: Benefits advice relative to a SGO

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Fri Jan 13, 2017 2:37 pm

Hi Viglenz,

Sorry! I certainly misunderstood you.

I can certainly see how stressful dealing with children services has been.

Were the girls looked after (in foster care either with mum or dads consent or under a care order to children services) immediately before you obtained the special guardianship order?
If so, children services must assess you for support, if you ask.
Did children services assess you for special guardianship order allowance at the time when the case was in court? Was there a written support plan?
If you have been assessed for the allowance, the starting point for paying support is foster care allowance-which changes as a child increases in age. So I would expect the allowance to be more than what you are getting at the moment.
However, special guardianship order allowance is also means tested and will be re assessed every year.

At the end of the assessment, Children’s Services should draw up a written report setting out what they have found about your needs. If they decide, as a result of the assessment, that you need support, they should send you a draft support plan. You will have 28 days to comment on this plan before it is finalised.
Did you ever get the report and plan? If not, ask for this so that you can then challenge it.
.
Here is our advice sheet about special guardianship orders .
Look at page 39 onwards about the type of support that might be available. Page 42 deals with asking for an assessment for support.

I hope this helps. But you it might be better if you could call our advice line on 0808 801 0366 and discuss in more depth.

Best wishes,
Suzie

Post Reply

Who is online

In total there are 4 users online :: 0 registered, 0 hidden and 4 guests (based on users active over the past 5 minutes)
Most users ever online was 242 on Sat May 16, 2020 7:47 am