Any advice please

[Noodles]

Hello,
I am new to this site and just wondered if anyone has any advice to give me.
I have 2 boys of my own, ages 7 and 9. My husband and I also have sgo for our niece who is 5 and nephews 6 and 8.
So we already have a busy house. Mum to the children found out she was pregnant in Dec.. she was 35+ weeks. She had baby 23rd Dec. We put in for emergency care.. unfortunately our bedroom wasn't ready to accommodate him. (Our room was full of Christmas presents covered in blankets).
He was sent to a foster carer on Christmas eve as soon as he was discharged from hospital. We have since had Christmas and therefore no hiding presents, so we have enough room for him now. We have sent pictures to the social workers and they have said they will put us forward for assessment for long term care.
So my question really is... what happens next?? We've obviously been through assessment before but can we appeal to have baby put with us now for emergency care. Baby's dad has told us that because of covid we won't be going to court until may. We just don't know what we're allowed to do or who we can contact.
Thanks in advance for any help or advice
Sorry for the long post

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Noodles

Welcome to the Family and Friends carers’ discussion board and thank you very much for your post. My name is Suzie and I am FRG’s online advser. I am sorry that there has been a delay in responding to your post.

Hopefully your assessment to care for your baby nephew has now begun – this would have been a viability assessment to begin with and if that was successful then probably fostering and special guardianship assessments concurrently.

Although you would be willing to care for the baby now (you would have to be temporarily approved as foster carers first) it might be that the plan will be for the baby to remain with the foster carer while further assessments of the parents and relatives take place so that the baby does not have too many moves. I think this is what the social worker may have been suggesting when they said that they will put you forward to be assessed for long term care of the baby. You can of course let them know that you are willing to care for the baby now if approved and if that was considered to be in the baby’s best interests. Both parents should have solicitors if they are in care proceedings so they can also get advice from them on an earlier placement with you, if they wish. However, it may be that the baby is cared for by the foster carer for now, until the final hearing.

You can ask the social worker about contact for your niece and nephews with their baby brother and for you as a prospective carer for the baby. This would need to thought about as part of the looked after child reviewing process. Contact will usually be virtual now but following a legal challenge by Family Rights Group the Government has issued Covid Regulations which specifically enable children to meet with relatives for the purpose of the child potentially being placed in their care. The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (All Tiers) (England) Regulations 2020 - now allow in all Tiers gatherings that are “reasonably necessary (d) for the purposes of placing children, or facilitating children being placed, in the care of another person by social services, whether on a temporary or permanent basis.”

Although you have been through similar processes before you may find the following advice sheets helpful:

Family and Friends carer: becoming a foster carer.
Care proceedings
DIY Special Guardianship Orders and
Support for relatives caring for someone else’s child (a) and (b).

Please do post again if you have a new query or ring our freephone helpline on 0808 8010366 , Mon to Friday, 9.30 to 3.oo pm If you would like to speak to an adviser.

With best wishes

Suzie