Extra financial help

[cjd7b8]

Hi I've got an sgo over my cousin and had it for 8 years now and my boy is in a sen school is being assessed for autism A.D.H.D G.D.D and learning difficulties he also has nephrotic syndrome i do get dla for him but with having to replace tvs and doors every other month and him need ing a special diet its hard im really struggling I'm on universal credit but can't get any help towards fixing things in my house and I don't know where to turn he has to go to hospital every 3/6 months so need to pay for trains and hotels while there as well im at a complete loss

[Robin D]

Hello @cjd7b8

I know how wearing and expensive it is when a child wantonly damages things. That's a t-shirt I have worn many times.

Hopefully @suzie will provide better advice, but in your shoes, I would be going back to the council involved with the placement and speaking to the SGO support team and ask for financial help. That may well be the start of a long campaign as if they refuse you then need to:

• 1. Make a complaint at Stage 1 that they will almost certainly reject.
  2. Escalate it to stage 2, that again they will reject.
  3. Escalate to stage 3 where someone will at least listen.

If they still refuse help then consider complaining to the Ombudman.

My only query is if it was a different that placed him from the council where you are now, you may have to apply to the local council where you now live. Hopefully Suzie will be able to answer that point.

I don't envy you and wish you luck in getting some help.

Best wishes .... Robin

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Hi I've got an sgo over my cousin and had it for 8 years now and my boy is in a sen school is being assessed for autism A.D.H.D G.D.D and learning difficulties he also has nephrotic syndrome i do get dla for him but with having to replace tvs and doors every other month and him need ing a special diet its hard im really struggling I'm on universal credit but can't get any help towards fixing things in my house and I don't know where to turn he has to go to hospital every 3/6 months so need to pay for trains and hotels while there as well im at a complete loss

Dear Cjd7b8,

Thank you for your post and welcome to the Kinship Carers’ forum. I am Suzie, an online adviser responding to you today.
I am sorry to read about the pressures you are dealing with. I see you have already had a useful and sympathetic response from RobinD.

Your local authority children’s services will have a special guardianship support social work team (sometimes called the permanence team or post-order team) that you should approach first to request help with finding your way through to more effective financial and practical support. If you do not receive a satisfactory response you could consider a formal complaint. Details of complaints procedures are here.

As a special guardian you may be in receipt or could now apply for a special guardianship allowance. This allowance is discretionary, means tested and annually reviewed.

You can read more about practical and financial help available to special guardians from children’s services in the Family Rights Group advice sheet here.

Special Guardianship Allowance decisions have to accord with the Special Guardianship Allowance Regulations 2005. I want to draw your attention to Regulation 6b here which states that financial help can be given ‘where the local authority consider that the child needs special care which requires a greater expenditure of resources than would otherwise be the case because of his illness, disability, emotional or behavioural difficulties or the consequences of his past abuse or neglect;.

Robin D raises the issue of seeking clarity as to which local authority you should approach about the special guardianship allowance. If your cousin was previously a looked after child (in care) prior to the special guardianship order being made – the financial responsibility remains with the local authority where he was previously looked after. If he was not looked after prior to the special guardianship order being made the financial responsibility is with the local authority where he now lives. You can read fuller details about this question here – look at point 13 on page 9.

You could also consider making an application to the Adoption Support Fund to help with the cost of professional emotional support and behavioural intervention. This fund is open to applications for children in special guardianship to help with the costs of therapeutic support. You can find out more here.

As your cousin has complex disability and behavioural needs you could request a child in need assessment for him under S.17 of the Children Act 1989. You can read more about child in need support here. Child in need support can include some limited financial help and you do not have to wait for the assessment to be completed before this can be provided, if agreed.

You may also wish to consider whether your cousin would benefit from being represented by an advocate. A children’s advocate can represent a child’s views and needs (instructed advocacy) or can argue for the child’s best interests where the child is not able to express their wishes. (non-instructed advocacy). Family Rights Group have a guide for children and young people working with advocates here.

Turn2Us offer information and advice to people experiencing financial insecurity and they may be able to point you towards grant funding from charitable foundations and help you review benefit entitlements. You can link to their website here.

I hope this information is helpful to you.

Please feel free to come back to us for further advice. You could post again here or use our free telephone advice line open Monday to Friday between 9.30am and 3pm (excluding Bank Holidays) on 0808 801 0366.

Best wishes,
Suzie