Connected persons order

[Pisces68]

My grandson is currently in foster care since October removed from sons ex partner, the ex partner is extremely toxic and I haven’t seen my grandson for 7 years, but my son has had contact, I was told there was a non molestation court order against me but in fact there wasn’t, so fast forward social services now keen to get grandson into my care as the place he is at is deemed a conflict of interest! I’ve just had a positive viability assessment and we have a family conference meeting this week to propose our plan to help my grandson and his older brother, how long will it be after the meeting will they go back to court?? This has been super stressful times and constant worry about my dear grandson who is 8 and feeling very anxious bless him, I’m meeting him for the first time in 7 years on Tuesday at a contact centre

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Pisces68

Welcome to the Family Rights Group kinship carers discussion forum and thank you for posting.

My name is Suzie online adviser at Family Rights Group. I see from your post that you have been prevented from having contact with your 8-year-old grandson for a significant period of time. It is great that this situation is likely to change shortly as children’s services are planning for contact to begin shortly. In addition, you have had a positive viability assessment and the possibility of caring for your grandson. Care proceedings usually take 26 weeks or more if the court allows it.

Please read our website about care proceedings for more information.

If children's services already have a final care order, then they can decide on where your grandson lives without going to court for a decision. They could apply to discharge the care order, or, in the alternative, you apply for a private law order. These are child arrangement or special guardianship order

You have asked two specific questions in your post relating to the steps that are likely now that the family has a family group conference (FGC)and how long the process will take. Firstly, if the case is still in court, then it is likely that there will be a further hearing. This will allow the court and the other parties in the case to consider the family’s plan. Also, as you have had a positive viability assessment, I am assuming that your grandson is in foster care under an interim care order (ICO). This means that a final decision has not been made regarding the long-term care of your grandson. Children’s services care plan which the court and other parties will receive appears to be that they propose your grandson lives with you, after a further positive assessment.

There is information here HERE about Family Group Conferences

It may be that the social worker has suggested that you could care for your grandson under a special guardianship order (SGO) or as a long term foster carer whilst they have a final care order. In both cases, you would be a kinship carer. Your post mention connected person order; this suggests that you are likely to be assessed for a SGO. You mention that there is a difficult relationship with your grandson’s mother, it might be helpful to discuss with the social worker how contact would be managed. As your grandson is likely to have suffered some trauma, you may need to have children’s services involved whilst he settles with you. This way, you would have the supprt of children’s services as a foster carer and apply for the SGO later.

I am including a link to our website so you can read about special guardianship and kinship foster care

Hope you will find this information helpful.

Best wishes

Suzie