please could someone give me some advice

dyldwarf

3 weeks ago my husband and i took in my grandson and step grandson as their parents are ill.they are 4yrs and 3 months.ss are involved and are happy for them to stay with me.i have 5 children of my own at home aswell.we currently recive income support ctc and cb.since the children have come to stay with me we have not recived any money for them(i am not looking after them to gain financially).their parents are still claiming ctc and cb for them.is there any financial help that we could get to cover the cost of baby milk nappies ect.their parent will not give anything to pay towards this.and with us being on income support things are tight.
this situation is going to continue for at least 6 months.their parents are also refusing to give me any of the children clothes ect so i have had to buy them.i have asked the ss about help and they have said that their parents should hand over the cb they recive to me to cover cost of food but they are refusing any advice greatfully recived

viktory

dyldwarf wrote: »

3 weeks ago my husband and i took in my grandson and step grandson as their parents are ill.they are 4yrs and 3 months.ss are involved and are happy for them to stay with me.i have 5 children of my own at home aswell.we currently recive income support ctc and cb.since the children have come to stay with me we have not recived any money for them(i am not looking after them to gain financially).their parents are still claiming ctc and cb for them.is there any financial help that we could get to cover the cost of baby milk nappies ect.their parent will not give anything to pay towards this.and with us being on income support things are tight.
this situation is going to continue for at least 6 months.their parents are also refusing to give me any of the children clothes ect so i have had to buy them.i have asked the ss about help and they have said that their parents should hand over the cb they recive to me to cover cost of food but they are refusing any advice greatfully recived

What reasons are the parents giving for refusing to hand over the CTC and CB? Did they willingly hand their children over to you?

dyldwarf

they get £33 cb and £114 ctc a week for the children also they get jsa they are refusing to hand any money over as they say they need it to buy things for the house .i am not asking for much just the £33 cb to cover baby milk nappies and a few things for the 4 yr old.for the first week that i had the children i was just looking after them as both parents were ill in hospital then the hospital phoned the ss and since the end of the first week there is a child protection order on the children.the ss are happy for the children to stay with us until their parents are well enough to have them back will not be less than 6 months away

C.C.L.

As far as CB goes there's 13 weeks timescale before they have to stop getting it. As far as Social Services are concerned, ask them to make you a Family Network Carer, and you will then receive an allowance for food and clothing.SS won't want to do this because of their budget, but if they are involved anyway then they have to make sure that the children are provided for.
You need to infor CB & CTC that the children now reside with you, and approximately how long this will continue.If it were me, I would inform the parents that the relevant departments are to be informed.
SS can also give you a clothing grant, but if this fails, they should go to the parents and request the childrens clothing.
I hope you get the help you need dyldwarf, but I'm afraid with SS you have to stand firm and keep pushing.Good luck.
Just read your reply dyldwarf, and if the children are on a child protection order then SS have a duty to pay you for the expenses incurred with looking after them.

dyldwarf

the ss have been coming here and telling me they cant give me any money that i have to have the cb from their parents to cover food and baby milk and nappies and if the children need anything else the parents have to supply it.the childrens mum is refusing to supply clothes ect as she says she needs to keep them for when they go back to live with her (for some reason she thinks they will be back living with her at the end of the month)but this is not going to happen for at least 6 months so we have been told.what ever the children have while they are with me will go back home with them but thier mum cant grasp this idea.

C.C.L.

dyldwarf wrote: »

the ss have been coming here and telling me they cant give me any money that i have to have the cb from their parents to cover food and baby milk and nappies and if the children need anything else the parents have to supply it.the childrens mum is refusing to supply clothes ect as she says she needs to keep them for when they go back to live with her (for some reason she thinks they will be back living with her at the end of the month)but this is not going to happen for at least 6 months so we have been told.what ever the children have while they are with me will go back home with them but thier mum cant grasp this idea.

If they were staying with you voluntarily then yes, you would be responsible for keeping them, and arranging with the parents about payment. The fact that they are on a Child Protection Order (CPO) then it's a whole different ball game, and SS must take responsibility for the children, and bear the cost.
Ring up SS, and ask to speak to the Social Worker's line manager, tell them (don't ask) you need payment from them to feed and clothe the children.At the very least, SS should give you a letter to inform CB & CTC that the children are with you.
The main thing to bear in mind is that the children have been removed from the care of the parents, and until the parents are deemed able to care for them, then SS must take responsibility and see they are well cared for, and that means financially as well as emotionally. It would cost them a lot to place them with Foster Carers, and all you're asking is a food and clothing allowance, that would be worth mentioning IMO.