Urgent advice please - SGO since birth but child living with mother

[DesperateGrandparent]

Hello
My grandaugter (whom I have very little contact with due to poor relations with her maternal family) was removed from her mother immediately after birth and put into foster care. 6 months later her maternal grandmother was given special guardianship of her until she is 18. I have recently discovered that my granddaughter has been living with her mother on a permanent basis for the past couple of years, this is with the permission of her grandmother and without the SGO being varied or discharged by the court. I am extremely concerned that my granddaughter is living with someone who is not capable of looking after her, and a potential risk to her. I would greatly appreciate any advice around the legalities of this and what steps I can take to ensure my granddaughter is safe.
Thank you

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Desperate Grandparent

Welcome to the parents’ discussion board and thank you for your post. My name is Suzie and I am Family Rights Group’s online adviser. I am sorry to hear that you are very worried about your granddaughter.

I will respond to your post here today but if you have any further queries please post on our specialist kinship carers’ forum which is designed for relatives and where you may get support and advice from other relatives too.

You have concerns for your granddaughter’s welfare as she has been living at home with her mother for a couple of years despite being removed from her care at birth . You explained that her maternal grandmother obtained a Special Guardianship Order (SGO) for her and it seems has agreed to the child living with her mother. You don’t think that the court was involved in this decision nor the SGO varied or discharged.

From the information provided it is not possible to know if your granddaughter’s mother has addressed the concerns which led to the baby being removed from her in the first place, whether this arrangement has been assessed or approved by social workers or whether the Special Guardian has allowed this without any social work oversight. You state that the order is still in place so the court has not agreed to end the SGO.

As you are very worried that the same risks are likely to remain and that therefore your granddaughter may be at risk of harm, the best thing to do is to contact Children’s Services in the area where your granddaughter is living, let them know what you are concerned about and why and ask that they assess the situation. I would recommend that you put this in writing and ask for a written response too. You may want to copy in the Special Guardianship Support Team (if the child and her mother are living in the same local authority area involved when the SGO was made). Alternatively, you can contact the NSPCC Child Protection Helpline to discuss your concerns; they can help you make a referral to Children’s Services or do so on your behalf.

I hope this is helpful.

Please call our freephone advice line on 0808 8010366, Mon to Fri, 9.30 am to 3.00 pm (except bank holidays) or post on our kinship carers’ forum as recommended earlier, if you have any further queries.

If you require private law advice then Child Law Advice may be able to provide this.

Best wishes

Suzie

[KatKat10]

DesperateGrandparent
Do check the facts before wading in, incase you do not have updated information.
Can I ask if you were ever involved in an initial viability assessment and Family group conference and if you have been given any contact arrangements with your grandaughter?