It feels like as a family carer I'm discriminated against!

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twinsauntie
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2018 1:28 pm

It feels like as a family carer I'm discriminated against!

Post by twinsauntie » Fri Jun 15, 2018 11:08 pm

I don't know if anyone else is in the same situation and can advise me, but I am at a loss as to who to turn to and just don't seem to be getting anywhere!

My 11 year old twin nieces have been living with me since September 2017, their father abandoned them when they were 2 and currently lives somewhere abroad, their mother is an alcoholic and it is not safe for the children to live with her. There has been a family 'arrangement' put in place which gave her space to seek help and try to recover but instead she has got worse. My sister was on benefits
and was meant to be giving me financial support for the girls which over the last 9 months has been sporadic if at all. As a result I am in debt. I have been told that I should now apply for child benefit and universal credit which I am doing but have yet to receive anything.

No legal arrangement such as special guardianship or child arrangement order has been put in place as of yet, though social services have said it would be quicker to do it privately than wait for them to go through the process. I don't know which would be the best route for me and cannot afford a solicitor to advise me.

If I wasn't here the girls would be in foster care and I just cannot put them through that on top of what they have already been through. I have absolutely no interest in any financial gain from looking after the girls, but I thought I would get support for it. If I was a foster carer I would receive immediate financial support, yet as a family member I get nothing, it just doesn't seem right!

My whole life has been turned upside down, I went self employed before the girls came into my care and was building up a client base, but I haven't been able to build it due to the circumstances. I have got my head around the fact that the girls will be in my care long term, but I don't know which road I should go down that will keep the girls safe but not penalise me financially for doing so.

Any help or advise would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

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

Re: It feels like as a family carer I'm discriminated against!

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Mon Jul 02, 2018 3:51 pm

Dear twinsauntie

I have replied on your other thread.

Best wishes

suzie

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