Family Rights Group | Kinship carers’ Forum

Good evening all, I am hoping someone can give us some advice ......
History
Kinship process started mid 2024 for our great niece.
In February 2025 we were approved as Kinship carers by panel with suggestion by Social Services of SGO in the future.
April 2025 Final court hearing agreed a court order for Kinship care
Our great niece doesn’t live with us and we’ve had no contact with her prior to and throughout the process.

We have a few questions if we may ?
1. Is it standard practice for the guardian not to speak to the recommended Kinship carers prior to the guardian writing their report for the final court hearing ?

2. Should Social Services file the recommended kinship carers most up to date assessment in court or can they file an old copy which was awaiting updates such as medicals ?

3. After a court order has been agreed by the judge in court, what court documentation are the agreed kinship carers allowed to see or should they be supplied with as standard ? For example can they read the guardians report, social services reports or the child’s care plan ? We weren't party to proceedings, we were advised that is would automatically be parent, LA and guardian only.

4. Should all financial assistance being offered by Social Services for the agreed kinship carers and child be agreed formally in writing prior to the courts final decision ? If so, how far should that extend into the future ?

5. Should a Kinship carers main support group who have all been spoken to be DBS checked prior to the court’s final decision, after or not at all ?

6. How much information and in what format (conversation, email or formal report) should a kinship carer expect to receive regarding the child’s needs, development, behaviour before they are put forward in court as recommended kinship carers ?

We thank you for your time and any advice you can supply will be gratefully received.

Good morning @DottieLottie. You are very welcome here.

I will start by pointing out that I am just a retired carer. If Suzie the FRG advisor posts anything different, her word should be taken as correct, but I will try to help a little.

I am a little confused. I think you are saying that you were assessed a a carer for your great niece but that she has been placed elsewhere? I will answer some of your queries on the basis that my assumption is correct, but please post back if I have misunderstood the situation.

First thing to say is that it is normal practice for Local Authorities to 'parallel plan' meaning a number of people may be spoken too, and assessed simultaneously. That is simply to reduce the time a child's permanent placement is found which is a desirable aim. If they go through the assessment with one person and that turns out to be unsuitable, then the child is left in limbo while another assessment is carried out. Ideally the SW should have explained that during the assessment but I am unsure that there is any requirement to do so.

1. Is it standard practice for the guardian not to speak to the recommended Kinship carers prior to the guardian writing their report for the final court hearing ?
I would say normally yes, but not necessarily if there is more than one potential placement. I assume you were not spoken too?

2. Should Social Services file the recommended kinship carers most up to date assessment in court or can they file an old copy which was awaiting updates such as medicals ?
Information filed to the court should be as up-to-date as possible in my experience. Parties would normally challenge or update either by statements or during hearings.

3. After a court order has been agreed by the judge in court, what court documentation are the agreed kinship carers allowed to see or should they be supplied with as standard ? For example can they read the guardians report, social services reports or the child’s care plan ? We weren't party to proceedings, we were advised that is would automatically be parent, LA and guardian only.
Not absolutely certain, but I believe the answer is none. Documents submitted to the court are confidential between the parties and the court. Indeed, I have always understood that it is an offence to share court papers with anyone outside the 'court environment' unless the source is from outside that specifically requested by the court and the 'owner' is happy that it is shared. The key issue is that you were not party to proceedings, and had you posted before, @Suzie and I would probably have suggested you apply to be party. It is common for SW's to put people off applying, and you can draw your own conclusions as to why they might do that. It is too late now as the court documents will now be effectively sealed.

4. Should all financial assistance being offered by Social Services for the agreed kinship carers and child be agreed formally in writing prior to the courts final decision ? If so, how far should that extend into the future ?
Ideally yes, but if you look back here you will see time and time again where verbal 'promises' were made that were later denied. We have always recommending asking for it in writing, and if not forthcoming, to write to the LA detailing what your understanding is from what was said. That way, they either have to accept or dispute your version at the time.

5. Should a Kinship carers main support group who have all been spoken to be DBS checked prior to the court’s final decision, after or not at all ?
I have never heard of this, but I am a number of years out of date. However, if other people are regularly in the proposed home, then it would be a prudent check in my opinion.

6. How much information and in what format (conversation, email or formal report) should a kinship carer expect to receive regarding the child’s needs, development, behaviour before they are put forward in court as recommended kinship carers ?
I would expect much of that information to be in the court documents. SW's have to take into account the privacy of the child, so if there are several prospective carers, may choose to share minimal information such that the potential carer can self assess if it's something they feel able to deal with or provide. To be honest, in our personal experience, what information that is handed over has always been incomplete and often was grossly inaccurate! I could list many things, but one child we had placed with us had previously had a head injury where he was swung against a wall at a few months old. We were not told of that until a number of years later, and only then by a concerned paediatrician who had insisted on getting the full records as were were having a lot of really odd behaviour that the SW's said was something we were or were not doing so effectively was our fault! It was clear that SS were aware as that was the reason the child had come into care.

Please feel free to post back with further queries or clarifications.

Best wishes ..... Robin

Thank you Robin for your detailed reply.
I hope i can clarify the situation better below :
Our great niece was removed from mum and placed in foster care. 1 month later we were contacted by SS in relation to being assessed as potential Kinship carers(mum had put us on a list with 3 other family relations). We agreed to proceed, 1 sadly failed the initial viability assessment and the other 2 were not in the situation to proceed.

1. We requested to speak to the guardian as we had a number of concerns and later we were told that the guardian wanted to speak to us but they never made contact. We have asked how and what the guardian wrote about us in their report but SS will not provide the information.
2. Our old assessment from last year prior to updates about our medical examinations was the only copy filed in court. I would have thought it necessary to re file our most up to date assessment from this year ?
3. Sadly there was never any conversation about court and being party to proceedings if we wanted to apply from any of our conversations/correspondence with SS. I take it they don't explain this as they don't want you there ?
4. We have received 4 changes to finances during the process. We have always questioned queries in writing. To date we still haven't received answers to all our questions or received an official document confirming.
6. We have received pieces of information during our assessment, during email correspondence but no official report regarding her needs/delayed development. Therapeutic parenting was mentioned and our assessment & SW spoke about attending PACE training.

Thank you again Robin for your time and response. We can now see why legal advice is so important and would highly recommend anyone going through this process to do so.

Dear DottieLottie,

Thank you for your post and welcome to the Kinship Carers’ Forum. I am Suzie, an online adviser responding to your enquiries today.

You explain that you have been approved as kinship foster carers for your great niece and a care order was made at the final hearing at the conclusion of the care proceedings. I am assuming that the care plan is for your great-niece to move to your care from her current placement and that the practical arrangements for this transition are yet to be worked out.

I will answer your questions in sequence -

1. Is it standard practice for the guardian not to speak to the recommended Kinship carers prior to the guardian writing their report for the final court hearing ?

The panel has approved you as kinship foster carers and the local authority's care plan for the child was agreed in court at the final hearing. In these circumstances the guardian often would speak to the potential carers before writing their final report and analysis but I cannot comment on this guardian’s practice as I do not have all the information about the issues within the care proceedings that have now concluded. You should put this question to the allocated social worker for your great-niece. You can read general information about the role of the children’s guardian here.

2. Should Social Services file the recommended kinship carers most up to date assessment in court or can they file an old copy which was awaiting updates such as medicals ?

The court has agreed the care plan of the local authority and has agreed that they should complete all the necessary checks as they are responsible for the welfare of your great niece. You can read more about the process of becoming a kinship foster carer here.

3. After a court order has been agreed by the judge in court, what court documentation are the agreed kinship carers allowed to see or should they be supplied with as standard ? For example can they read the guardians report, social services reports or the child’s care plan ? We weren't party to proceedings, we were advised that is would automatically be parent, LA and guardian only.

As you were not party to the proceedings you will not have access to records, reports or orders in respect of the child. However children’s services should share all the information you need about your great-niece that you need to care for her. You can discuss this with your support social worker and the child’s social worker as you prepare to care for her.

4. Should all financial assistance being offered by Social Services for the agreed kinship carers and child be agreed formally in writing prior to the court’s final decision ? If so, how far should that extend into the future ?

As kinship foster carers you will be paid by the local authority that is employing you to care for this particular child. The allowance paid should be at least match the national fostering minimum fostering allowance and take account of any additional needs the child has that may cause extra expense. Should you apply to become special guardians in the future your assets, income and expenditure and the child’s needs would all be considerations in deciding your eligibility and the level of special guardianship allowance payable to you. It is very important that you are fully aware of the financial position becoming special guardians would place you in and I would recommend taking further advice at that stage before making any permanent decisions. You can read more about practical and financial advice for special guardians here.
You can read about welfare benefits payable to kinship carers here.

5. Should a Kinship carers main support group who have all been spoken to be DBS checked prior to the court’s final decision, after or not at all ?

As kinship foster carers you will be responsible for the safety and wellbeing of your great-niece, including decisions about preventing risk from any people who stay in your home or whom she comes into regular contact with while in your care. Basic DBS checks should be carried out on anyone you propose to provide babysitting and both the child’s social worker and your own support social worker should discuss this with you.

6. How much information and in what format (conversation, email or formal report) should a kinship carer expect to receive regarding the child’s needs, development, behaviour before they are put forward in court as recommended kinship carers ?

As you were not party to the proceedings you will not have access to records, reports or orders in respect of the child. As kinship foster carers you are engaged by the local authority to care for your great-niece who remains a looked after child. ( A child in care) This means that the local authority have parental responsibility for her and her parents retain some parental responsibility.
The information you need to help you prepare to care for your great-niece should be provided by the social worker, the independent reviewing officer and the support social worker (who is there to support you as kinship foster carers).

You can read more about children’s services duties to a looked after child and their carers here.
Further information for kinship carers is here.

I hope this information was useful to you and wish you well as you prepare to care for your great-niece. I hope that you are given some time and support by the child’s social worker and your own support social worker so that you can discuss all the issues you understandably have on your mind right now. Please feel free to come back to us for further support also.

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Best wishes,
Suzie