education cop out!

[hev]

Hi Im new to this site! i am interested in anyone who had an agreement with ss to fund education grants when our sgo children go on to college! we had an agreement and now they have pulled funding and said that the wording on our court order said support but the word financial wasnt but they said all of this at our meetings before hand? I cannot believe they would go back on thier word. does anyone know what to do? thanks sorry not the best intrduction to me

[Robin D]

Hi and welcome.

First a question: Was the child(ren) in the care system before SGO was made? The answer to that changes much of what follows.

There seem to be more and more LA's looking hard at the agreements and taking the least generous interpretation.

You need first of all to commence on the formal complaint procedure. Have a look at advice sheet 25 at the bottom of page at http://www.frg.org.uk/need-help-or-advice/advice-sheets. Please be aware that many posters here have the view that stage 1 and 2 complaints are whitewashed, and its only Stage 3, Judicial Reviews or the Ombudsman that are ever taken seriously. I think though it does vary by authority so you may well have a different experience. Ideally you need names of those that gave you the information originally, so see if you can look them up.

You do have to go through all the stages, so be prepared for it all to take months if not years.

If the child was in the care system before the SGO was made, it seems fairly clear that they have a duty to the child. It's probably better to post back that information here, (with nothing that identifies the authority, or individuals please) so that people are better able to help. Alternatively, you can call the advice line free and confidentially on 0808 801 0366.

You might also like to look at a recent thread that had a good outcome. viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2947.

Good luck ...... Robin

[hev]

I was the childrens foster carer at the time. they were both uder full care orders and the department were corporate parents

[Robin D]

In that case the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 is pertinent.

Another factor is that under a SGO, I seem to remember there being a recent ruling that a child is considered to be living independently of its parents and is therefore able to get funding for University. I don't know the detail but I'm sure David Roth will. He will be looking in here during the course of the next few days. Alternative, do please call the advice line for more accurate information.

Best wishes ....... Robin

[David Roth]

Welcome to the discussin forum, hev.

Irene is right when she states that there is a lot of useful information on this topic in the thread she has posted the quotation from. You can read the full discussion, which started last year and covers five pages, here: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2947

There is a lot of information there that you would find useful if you do decide to challenge the local authority's actions.

Perhaps if you read through that discussion, you could come back here with any queries?

[hev]

Can I just thank all of the above for thier responces, this is a minefield and the only suggestion I had from Children and Young Peoples Services was that if I was to kick them out of thier home then they would help! that is one of the worse things I have ever heard....

But this note is one of thanks so thank you! thank you! thank you!