Family Rights Group | Kinship carers’ Forum

i have been a kinship carer for 5 yrs now, and im trying to find as much info as i can about sgo, as dont know what to do, im happy to stay as kinship carer as 1. financial and 2. the supervision contact (they do it). but i do feel now its more of the SS who want us to go the sgo route. what do other people think of sgo and give me some ideas of what i should do.

There are plenty of people on here who will offer you real life experienec of SGO's, but you might want to start by reading the advice sheet No 22 on the main FRG site for accurate facts.

If you do go down the SGO route, make sure you get finances sorted and agreed BEFORE you accept the order.

Good luck ..... Robin

Grandparent carer in Suffolk [:)]

Bumblebee

IMHO you really do need to do your homework with an SGO and make sure it is the route for you, and you have to make sure you get the terms right for you and the child as well, right from the outset - from my personal experience, its not as black and white as the powers that be make out - they can become very complex and complicated and, if the parents are involved, they have the 'right to make an application' at any time in respect of the child and the terms of the SGO, and if like us, you don't get legal aid, it can prove very expensive to keep fighting court applications.

I by no means am trying to put you off, having the SGO for our g/d is the best decision we ever made - it was adoption otherwise, but five years we are still 'battling' with parents who want everything their own way, and that means keep dragging us through court - we are currently self litigating (again) and the stress can be terrible some days.

Just make sure what you want and need are catered for in the SGO order - financial support, legal support in future cases, respite if needed and assistance with Contact etc - it has to be watertight for you and the childs future.

I do wish you all the best and hope the process goes well for you - you will both benefit from an SGO in the long term.

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