SGO advice

[Loon]

Hi
What can you ask for on a SGO support plan for a baby? Also if the support plan is poor and you disagree can baby be put up for adoption. SW said that if we object to SGO then the SW will look for other family members and if there are no family members to take on SGO baby will go to adoption. Any advice will be appreciated as we are very anxious due to our heartstrings being pulled. Thank you in advance

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Loon

Welcome to the kinship carers’ discussion board. Thank you for your post. My name is Suzie and I am Family Rights Group’s online adviser.

It sounds as if you are being assessed as a potential special guardian for a baby who is related to or connected to you in some way. There are likely to be care proceedings taking place. Please see this detailed explanation of care proceedings which may help you keep informed about what is happening.

The social worker has told you about the parallel planning that they are doing. As the child involved is a baby then if the courts decide that their parents cannot care for them safely and if no one in the family can care for them either then it is likely that the court would agree a plan for adoption and make a placement order for them.

If the court agrees that a relative is the best person to care for a child then failure to agree a support plan should not be the main reason that a child is adopted. Every effort should be made to reach an agreement. But if the prospective special guardian withdrew as they could not accept the support offered the court would have still have to make an order providing the child with a permanent home.

In order to prevent delay for the child and to support effective care planning, children’s services are required to provide prospective special guardians with a draft support package plan stating:

What services are to be provided.

• How children’s services will know if the support has been successful.
• When the support is to be provided and for how long.
• How children’s services will make decisions regarding whether the support should continue.
• The person responsible for looking after and helping to arrange the support.

The special guardian has 28 days to comment on this plan before it is finalised.

So, ideally any queries about the proposed plan of support should be resolved before the final hearing.

I would recommend that you flag your support needs from the outset so that the assessing social worker has a detailed knowledge of what help and support you think you and the child will need. If children’s services agree to pay for you to have legal advice from a solicitor then it can be a sensible idea to access this legal advice when you need to negotiate for the right package of support.

You are wondering what you can ask for in a support package for a baby. Of course, you also need to think about what you may need as they grow up. Every situation is different but you may need to carefully consider the following:

• Setting up support
• Financial support – with clarity about how much you will receive under a special guardianship allowance and how long you will be paid the allowance including how and when it will be reviewed.
• Housing needs
• Support with facilitating contact
• Respite
• Training
• Trauma and attachment support
• Counselling for you or the child
• Life story work for the child
• Support arising from the child’s specific needs or disabilities
• Peer support e.g. special guardians or kinship care support groups

These are just a few ideas to think about, you will know your situation and the child’s needs best.

Please see the following advice sheets which should be helpful too:

• 2 e) practical and financial support for special guardians
• 2 c) DIY special guardianship orders: care proceedings
• 2 h) Welfare benefits for special guardians
• 2 i) The Education system in England; information for kinship carers

I hope this helps. Please post back on this forum if you have any further queries about children’s services. If you would like to discuss your situation with an adviser please call the freephone helpline on 0808 8010366, Mon to Fri, 9.30 am to 3.00 pm (except bank holidays).

Best wishes

Suzie