Kinship carers allowances

DX2

scowets wrote: »

My daughter has been asked by social services to look after my grandaughter. They are organising a Legal Meeting for this week. I already have a Residence Order for my grandson which was granted through the courts. All legal costs were covered by myself, no help offered by social services. I have since been told by a friend about Kinship Carers and my daughter has asked the social worker about it. The social worker has said that this is no longer available. Is this right? If not does anyone know how to go about applying. My daughter is in full time employment but is finding it financially hard at the mo.

Try asking SS for a Residence Order Allowance.

Savvy_sewing

scowets wrote: »

My daughter has been asked by social services to look after my grandaughter. They are organising a Legal Meeting for this week. I already have a Residence Order for my grandson which was granted through the courts. All legal costs were covered by myself, no help offered by social services. I have since been told by a friend about Kinship Carers and my daughter has asked the social worker about it. The social worker has said that this is no longer available. Is this right? If not does anyone know how to go about applying. My daughter is in full time employment but is finding it financially hard at the mo.

Kinship carers are supposed to now get the same as Foster Carers, however its is often the case that the authorities do not actually do anything about it.
I contacted Family Rights group.
Beverley Campbell
[EMAIL="bcampbell@frg.org.uk"]bcampbell@frg.org.uk[/EMAIL]

She helped me with my application letter, and they got things stirring for me. Good luck.
if any of the children are A child in Care, or a looked after child, with SS, then the Legal fees should be funded by the SS or the state, I am not exactly sure which one.

Lindy_lou_3

I specifically deal with the kinship care allowance and it's affect on benefits and other entitlements in Scotland.

As a rule of thumb, if you have a 'looked after child' (meaning there is an order in place through the Children's Hearing System, most often a Supervision Order) and you receive a kinship care allowance from your Local Authority, then you are cannot receive both Child Tax Credit and the Kinship Care Allowance.

If you receive a kinship care allowance for a 'not looked after child' (meaning it is an informal arrangement with the parents or you have a Residence Order) then you can claim both the Child Tax Credit and the allowance.

You should be able to receive Child Benefit in either case. It's always best to check everything out with an expert advice agency like Citizens Advice. Kinship Care is dealt with differently in England and there you would be assessed and paid as a Kinship Foster Carer and the same benefit rules apply as though you were receiving a foster payment.

Savvy_sewing

Lindy_lou wrote: »

I specifically deal with the kinship care allowance and it's affect on benefits and other entitlements in Scotland.

As a rule of thumb, if you have a 'looked after child' (meaning there is an order in place through the Children's Hearing System, most often a Supervision Order) and you receive a kinship care allowance from your Local Authority, then you are cannot receive both Child Tax Credit and the Kinship Care Allowance.

If you receive a kinship care allowance for a 'not looked after child' (meaning it is an informal arrangement with the parents or you have a Residence Order) then you can claim both the Child Tax Credit and the allowance.

You should be able to receive Child Benefit in either case. It's always best to check everything out with an expert advice agency like Citizens Advice. Kinship Care is dealt with differently in England and there you would be assessed and paid as a Kinship Foster Carer and the same benefit rules apply as though you were receiving a foster payment.

I dont get Child benefit or child tax credits. I was advised that I had to become "self employed" and then claim working tax credits.

The next stage of our situation is that I have to change from being a Kinship foster carer, to applying for a guardianship. As I have already been a Foster Carer, i can get Special Guardianship funding, means tested. But to how much etc then we do not know yet. I have to go back to my lawyer for advice.

sassysar

Mooloo wrote: »

I dont get Child benefit or child tax credits. I was advised that I had to become "self employed" and then claim working tax credits.

The next stage of our situation is that I have to change from being a Kinship foster carer, to applying for a guardianship. As I have already been a Foster Carer, i can get Special Guardianship funding, means tested. But to how much etc then we do not know yet. I have to go back to my lawyer for advice.

Beware Mooloo if you are happy to stay fostering stick as you are. If you think there is no chance they will take the child off you (usually the case as she is no doubt settled and they are short on foster carers) fostering is a better status.
Special gaurdianship is reviewed every year and very much at their say.In this financial climate I wouldnt trust SS to be generous if they dont have too.

Savvy_sewing

sassysar wrote: »

Beware Mooloo if you are happy to stay fostering stick as you are. If you think there is no chance they will take the child off you (usually the case as she is no doubt settled and they are short on foster carers) fostering is a better status.
Special gaurdianship is reviewed every year and very much at their say.In this financial climate I wouldnt trust SS to be generous if they dont have too.

Yes I realise they are pushing me. Infact I think that they were usuing emotional blackmail, as they said that if I was not prepared to take on DGD permanantly, i.e. on a residency order or a special guardianship one, then they would consider putting her up for adoption. When I heard those words I started to cry, and her mum was devestated, as we as a family would then loose her.!?

I will be calling my solicitor on Monday and asking for an appointment.
I also would loose the holiday money, the birthday and the christmas money, and that is not to be sneezed at!.
Her birthday is in October, and then we have Christmas, and in May they pay the holiday money. So I wonder if the Solicitor can stall them that long! Not that I am greedy, its just that I would like to be able to take her on holiday, and being on just the fostering allowance and my ESA, we are not exactly living the life of riley. I am also trying to keep my 17 year old son, as he doesnt get any benefits! Long story!.

DX2

Mooloo wrote: »

Yes I realise they are pushing me. Infact I think that they were usuing emotional blackmail, as they said that if I was not prepared to take on DGD permanantly, i.e. on a residency order or a special guardianship one, then they would consider putting her up for adoption. When I heard those words I started to cry, and her mum was devestated, as we as a family would then loose her.!?

oh how I have heard that one! I certainly didn't fight them I just applied for a Residence Order but made dam sure SS paid the legal costs.

0788kaz

hi im going through the procress to become a kindership carer for our 3 grand daughters aged 19 months 4 yrs and 6 years any one no what the allowance is we live in east yorkshire and how much suport is there out there any thing i should no any thing i should be asking i no got a panel meeting mid feb

pocketstapler

Check out Grandparentsplus.org.uk - Lots of help & advice for kinship carers. Also check Family Rights Group frg.org.uk.
Both have free advice lines. Good Luck

supama

I have been taking care of my grand-daughter since April 2010, ever since her mother walked out on her. We went through the courts for a Residence Order, with the full abcking of Social Services and last May it was finally granted in full. We had asked if there was an allowance we could claim, only because someone in housing benefit practically called me a liar when I said we didn't get anything other than family allowance and tax credits for her when my husband lost his job (very much a case of well I know someone in your situation and they get kind of conversation) to be told no but then we got a new Social Worker who got an advisor to come out to us January this year to fill all the forms in. Apparantly, we were granted the allowance sometime in the summer, according to the SW, but have not yet received any payments, any letters or any thing so we don't know how much it is, when it will be paid from (we took care of our GD from April 2010, temp RO granted May 2010, full RO granted May 2011 so don't know what the start date will be) and not even the SW knows anything more - all she knows is the paperwork is with the Service Director awaiting their signature for payments to start!!

I live in West Yorks - is there anyone who would be able to give us some idea of what we are likely to receive, please?