Sgo

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Chels89
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2020 5:49 pm

Sgo

Post by Chels89 » Tue Dec 08, 2020 6:26 pm

Hi I was looking for some advice, it’s a bit of a long one so here goes.
My brother had my nephew 4 years ago I have had sgo of him since he was 4 months old, my brother had another baby 3 months ago my niece with a different mum, we got contacted about 2 weeks after she was born, and we have asked to be assessed for sgo which the social services wanted too but in the mean time a second cousin from the mums side has been assessed and is also positive, they have been involved since social services found out the mum was pregnant, I’m asking for advice because it doesn’t look like my niece will be placed with us even tho everything is positive I also have her half brother my nephew live with my and my brother and the mum also want us to care for her and not the other couple can someone please help and advice on what I can do so I can keep my nephew with his sibling thank you

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

Re: Sgo

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Wed Feb 03, 2021 2:16 pm

Dear Chels89

Welcome to the Family and Friends carers’ discussion board and thank you for your post. I am sorry for the long delay in responding to you.

You have put yourselves forward to be assessed as potential special guardians for your baby niece if the court decides that her parents cannot safely care for her. You already have a SGO for her half-brother so, as you say, if she was placed with you this would allow her to grow up with her sibling, and be raised by her paternal aunt. You also say that both parents would want you to care for her in preference to the other couple. Their wishes do need to be sought and taken account of during planning processes. The parents should also make sure they discuss with their solicitors what their preferences would be.

Has there been a family group conference to help the parents and family put forward a plan of who could care for the baby?

Have you had a viability assessment and, if that was successful, a special guardianship assessment yet? The first thing to do is to make sure that your assessments take place, get a copy of any assessment and respond to any queries.

Also if you are being assessed, has any contact between you and the baby been put in place or proposed?

You don’t say if there are ongoing care proceedings or who is currently caring for the baby i.e. if she is still being cared for by her mother, or in unrelated foster care or in kinship foster care with the other relative you mentioned. You think it is unlikely that the baby will be placed with you but I am not sure how this has been communicated to you. Perhaps you could post an update as we would be able to offer more specific advice then. The situation may have moved on since you last posted too.

Here are a few points about siblings being placed together or having contact with each other, which might be of interest to you:
When making plans for children, the importance of sibling relationships should be recognised and consideration given to the links between children’s emotional well-being and their relationships with their siblings. Social workers and the court should consider /address sibling relationships and contact between siblings at every stage of the assessment and planning process. This doesn’t always mean that siblings are placed together though and every child’s situation must be assessed based on their needs.

Please do post back or ring to speak with an adviser on the Freephone advice helpline (0808 801036, Mon to Fri, 9.30 am to 3.00 pm) as your niece’s situation may be different now than when you contacted us before.

With best wishes

Suzie

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