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Our advice service

Are you a parent, kinship carer relative or friend of a child who is involved with, or who needs the help of, children’s services in England? We can help you understand processes and options when social workers or courts are making decisions about your child’s welfare.

Our advice service is free, independent and confidential.

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To speak to an adviser, please call our free and confidential advice line 0808 801 0366 (Monday to Friday 9.30am to 3pm, excluding Bank Holidays). Or you can ask us a question via email using our advice enquiry form.

Discuss on our forums

Our online advice forums are an anonymous space where parents and kinship carers (also known as family and friends carers) can get legal and practical advice, build a support network and learn from other people’s experiences.

Advice on our website

Our get help and advice section has template letters, advice sheets and resources about legal and social care processes. On Monday and Wednesday afternoons, you can use our webchat service to chat online to an adviser.

 

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Manchester judgment

This refers to a court decision which relates to how kinship foster carers should be paid. Kinship foster carers who are caring for a looked after child who has been placed with them by children’s services are entitled to be paid a fostering allowance at the same rate as other foster carers. For example, an aunt who gets approved as a foster carer for her niece should be paid at the same rate as an unrelated foster carer.

The judgment was given in the High Court in 2001. It found that Manchester City Council’s policy on kinship carers was discriminatory and unlawful. Their policy at the time involved them paying kinship foster carers a lower fostering allowance than unrelated foster carers. The reference for the case is (L & Ors), R (on the application of) v Manchester City Council [2001] EWHC 707 (Admin).

Government statutory guidance now states:

‘The allowances paid by a fostering service must be calculated for family and friends foster carers on the same basis as for all other foster carers, and any variations should relate to the child’s needs, the skills of the carer or some other relevant factor that is used as a criterion for all of the service’s foster carers.’

Paragraph 4.49, Family and Friends Care: Statutory guidance for local authorities.

For more information see our advice pages on:

Kinship carers

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