Grandparents desperately requiring free legal help for guardianship

Zara33

http://www.frg.org.uk/gpforum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=3

Family rights group another forum that may help you.

cleopatra7

Thanks again. Social Services are supposed to be contacting child benefit in Newcastle but that was 2 months ago and when we ask how far it has got, we keep getting the response 'we will check and let you know' we have been doing this on a weekly basis,nobody gets back. This is a huge responsibility for us, but even though SS are dicatating all the rules about contact for parents (because mum and dad have a right to still see my grandson!) even though there is a CP order been placed 2 months ago to ensure that he cannot be removed by either of them, we just want my grandson to have a normal upbringing and have the right to make decisions on his behalf when he says he doesn't want to see either of his parents or the effects they have to his well being when he has. We are really desperate to get this legally sorted out as soon as possible, we feel we are getting no support from the people who can help.

Savvy_Sue

Do ask if SS are dual tracking your grandson. that's a process where they consider adoption at the same time as assessing whether it's safe to leave him where he is.

Also see Raising other people's children!

cleopatra7

Thanks again for your ideas. i sense that social services are doing what ever is the least cost to them, so I doubt they will be dual tracking my grandson. We cannot go forward without any legal help, which cost money, which we do not have. Does anybody know of any organisation who can help?

joolesw1972

Hi Cleopatra, I've not got any advice for you, but I read the thread & just wanted to say keep up the good work - your grandson is lucky to have you x

Zara33

cleopatra7 wrote: »

Thanks again for your ideas. i sense that social services are doing what ever is the least cost to them, so I doubt they will be dual tracking my grandson. We cannot go forward without any legal help, which cost money, which we do not have. Does anybody know of any organisation who can help?

I would fight your corner with SS.

http://www.grandparents-association.org.uk/factsheets/factsheet4.pdf

jazzyjustlaw

Do you mean a Special Guardianship order - if so this is usually where Social Services are comtemplating care proceedings. In my view its for them to pay for such an order. You are unlikely to get public funding (legal aid) anyway as they say that Social Services should pay.

If not then you may be able to apply for a Residence Order, you can do it on your own although it is better for a Lawyer to deal with this, maybe you can get a special rate or ask them for guidance on a fee paying basis as and when you need it i.e preparing statements etc.

Good luck.

jazzyjustlaw

tori.k wrote: »

www.sfla.co.uk/residencedetermined.htm

you can apply for a resident order yourselves as the little lad been with you for over 3 years
To apply for Residence order, the Children Act Form C1 is available from your local Magistrate’s Court,
If your daughter has no issue with you getting a residence order its really simple, easy form to fill out, copy sent to all party's concerned, magistrate's signs, Jobs a good un

The form is actually a C100.

cleopatra7

Thank you again for everyones advice. From the information you have been giving me I feel for my grandson security, he has just turned 8, the best course of action would be a guardianship. SS has mentioned this in February this year, they have made promises several times that they will fund it, but when pressed to put it in writing to the solicitor, they back track and make different excuses that, 'they need to discuss it further what order to go for' - this was 3 months ago, last week at a meeting they said they have to have a meeting to discuss it. We had also told 2 months ago they had sent a letter to the solicitor agreeing which turned out not to be true. We are unable to go any further with their funding or funding from elsewhere. We have been given all this responsibility and stress from Social services and feel nobody appreciates just how much we have given up, we just need to support and recognition legally. We are being emotionally blackmailed with different requests from Social Services, expecially with the contact arrangements, as they want us to arrange it and deal with them both, as they both have supervised contact, when they can remember to turn up. They say they don't have the resources, this is so much of a strain as my grandson is very distruptive after seeing his parents and we have to deal with it, but social services keep dangling the carrot of 'if you do the contact arrangements it will help when we go to court' but this has been going on for months and they will not commit to agree to funding. The pressure is really getting to much, we feel very much alone with this situation, sometimes we feel like we are being punished for looking after him, our life is not our own but this does not seem to be appreciated by anyone. We just want to raise our grandson in a peaceful, happy, and safe environment, but we cannot move on because we cannot get the help. Sorry for going on, but there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

floss2

I would contact your SW's senior manager, then the Head of Childrens Services.....Councillors....MP.....

Also, ring CB in Newcastle & ask where your application is up to.

Can these organisations help at all?
grandparents plus
kinship care