Want to care for grandson

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MissD
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2021 6:22 am

Want to care for grandson

Post by MissD » Sat Aug 07, 2021 11:17 am

Hi,I’m new to this and this is my first post.my daughter previously lost her daughter in 2012 due to drink and dv,anyway fast forward to now and she’s pregnant carrying my grandson only social services are back involved and have said they’re going for removal at birth.me and my husband have put ourselves forward to be assessed but when my daughter asked social worker what my chances are she said very unlikely but I don’t understand.my daughter as done parenting courses and things and stopped drinking etc yet they’re going straight for removal it’s like they don’t want her to succeed and on top of that sw seems to have made her mind up about me and my husband when in fact she’s never even met us.Is there anyway I can just go straight to court and ask if we can have baby

MissD
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2021 6:22 am

Re: Want to care for grandson

Post by MissD » Sat Aug 07, 2021 11:19 am

Me and my husband both work full time we don’t smoke,drink or do drugs and have clean records which I thought would have gone good for us.

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

Re: Want to care for grandson

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Thu Aug 19, 2021 11:52 am

Dear MissD

Welcome to the kinship carers’ discussion board and thank you for your post. My name is Suzie and I am FRG’s online adviser. Congratulations on the expected arrival of your grandson although I know it is a very worrying time for you. I am sorry to hear that you are anxious that your grandson will be removed from your daughter’s care when he is born. I am also sorry that there has been a delay in responding to your query.

First of all. I just wanted to make sure that your daughter has a solicitor – her baby could only be removed from her care if a court order this or if a parent agrees, or if the police took him into police protection. As children’s services are likely to be going into care proceedings for the baby they should have already had a public law outline process in place and provided a letter entitling your daughter to help from a solicitor. Her solicitor can put forward alternatives such as a mother and baby placement for her and her son when he is born. It is important to try to keep mother and baby together as far as possible - the court should only agree to separate them if the baby's welfare requires this and no other options will do. Please do encourage your daughter to look at our website for information to help her prepare and understand the different processes. The following pages for parents to be and on care proceedings may be the most helpful for her. She might also be interested in our information about why children’s services would be concerned for a child when there is /or was domestic violence and alcohol misuse .

You and your husband have put yourselves forward to be assessed as prospective carers for the baby when he is born. Legally, you must be assessed. You may find this table which sets out the law on kinship care very clearly.Where children’s services decide that a child cannot remain safely with their parents, children’s services should ‘seek to place children with suitable wider family members where it is safe to do so.’ In your situation, they should undertake a viability or initial family and friends care assessment. If you have a look at this guide it sets out all you need to know about these assessments and includes advice about what to do if for any reason the assessment is negative. If you have a positive viability assessment you could then be assessed with a view to being temporarily approved as a kinship foster carer. If you were given temporary approval your grandson could be placed with you if his parents agree or more likely if the courts make a temporary care order and decide that his welfare requires him to be removed from his parent/s care.

You can find out much more about being a kinship foster carer here.

If there has not been a family group conference (FGC) then your daughter should ask for one urgently - this could help your family propose a safety plan to children’s’ services about how to support your daughter to care for her baby or how you could care for the baby.

No-one can make a court application until the baby is born. If children’s services apply and you want to make your own application this would have to be joined to the proceedings.

It is possible for a relative to go straight to court to ask to be allowed to care for a child but in terms of getting the right support – financial as well as practical – it is often better to be treated as a foster carer first. In addition, the court will also often want to ensure that the parent/s are given an opportunity to be assessed to care for the baby whilst making sure that the baby is safe so may think that care proceedings are necessary.

The only way a relative can get temporary parental responsibility for a child is by temporary child arrangements order but if you were wanting to get permanent parental responsibility a Special Guardianship Order would probably be better. You will have to be assessed by a social worker.

Please look at this FAQ, our kinship care pages and specialist advice sheets for kinship carers to find out more about the different options.

I think you may find it helpful to discuss the situation with an adviser. If you would like to do so please call the freephone advice line on 0808 8010366; the lines are open from Mon to Fri (except on bank holidays) and between 9.30 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. Or please do post back on this forum for advice and support.

With best wishes

Suzie

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