Help needed

[Ber2y]

Hi my children have come to live with me on a section 20 as their mother has been drinking and doing drugs.

I had a police check and local authorities check

We had our first conference call it included me my daughter her two ex partners the social worker someone from the school and the main lady who was running the meeting not sure where she was from.

After the meeting she said something about a kinship order and they had 16 weeks to finish the assessment and they will pay me 170.00 between the children.

I don't understand why I have to have a assessment when I have just had one apparently they look at you closer not sure what they look for as our police and local authorities check came back fine.

I have heard I will have to have a medical they check your bank religion need two character references why do I need to do this again if children are already with me .

I need advice from a grandparent or someone who is going though a kinship order thanks

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Ber2y

Thank you for your post. Unfortunately, you have posted on the parent’s discussion forum in error.

My name is Suzie, online adviser at Family Rights Group. I will respond to your post here but ask that any future post should be on the Family and Friends Carers discussion board.

From your post I see that your grandchildren have been placed in your care under section 20. This means that they are accommodated by children’s services. You state that there was a meeting at which there was discussion about a kinship order. It may that the meeting was a looked after children meeting (LAC) because the children are, under s.20, looked after children and children’s services has to have this meeting once a child is in their care whether under a care order or s.20. The person chairing the LAC meeting is usually the independent reviewing officer (IRO) all looked after children will have an IRO.

At present you are a foster carer for your grandchildren and will receive a fostering allowance from the local authority. The current minimum weekly rate for each child is set by the government. I do not know the ages of your grandchildren but you can check the amount you are receiving from the tables here

You are concerned about a further assessment being carried out as you believe you have already been assessed. It is correct that you would have had an initial viability assessment and this was positive. Children’s services now has to do a more in depth assessment to ensure the children can remain with you. If children are to remain with family members this can be as approved foster carers or if they apply to the court for an order which can be a child arrangement order or a special guardianship order.

It is not clear from your post how long the children have been with you. Initially, they can be placed for up to 8 weeks but then children’s services has to carry out a regulation 24 to continue the placement as foster carers.

All family and friends carers are referred to as kinship carers. There is no specific kinship order. The orders which can be made are referred to above, that is, child arrangement or special guardianship. Have you decided to make an application to the court for an order? You have not mentioned in your post if there are already court proceedings brought by children’s services.

Please read our advice sheets in respect of DIY Child Arrangements Orders: information for family and friends carers and DIY Special Guardianship Orders - information for family and friends carers for more information.

You can also look at your local authority’s kinship or family and friends care policy on their website. Please also ask the social worker to clarify anything that you do not understand about the assessment to be done.

Should you wish to speak to an adviser, please telephone our advice line on 0808 801 0366. The advice line is open from 9.30am to 3pm Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays).

I hope you find this helpful.

Best wishes

Suzie