"Foster" advice needed urgently sought

CFC

Yes, make sure you get the meeting minuted - keep the minutes yourself if necessary and ask them to sign at the end to agree it as a true record of the meeting.

You'll never get documentation out of them.

play2day

orlwaysbroke wrote:

Cheers play2day - my typing's not all that swift!

So - because the child was delivered by social services as a result of their involvement it is unlikely that we'd be viewed as private foster carers.
?!?!?!?!!?

You most definately are not private foster carers. You are friends and family and you are entitled to allowances as such.. Ask!

If the parents gave up the child voluntarily (section 20) it does not change your status or eligability for renumeration. Demand a meeting to define your status and payment level.

Both carers working does not effect you being foster carers as long as adequate provision is made for your placement. If you are unable to find or dund this care then social services should help with both.

Do not feel pressured into providing a home for this young girl if you feel it will be to the detriment of your family. There are foster carers out there who can do it and you need to be mindful of your priorities.....

PM me if there are questions you feel unable to post on an open forum!

Zara33

orlwaysbroke I am a kinship carer, i look after my nephew i have done for four years. I am not classed as a foster parent because a) i am a member of the family and b) i have never been assessed as a foster carer.

Please do not hold your breathe about getting any money whatsoever from social services still to this day i am still fighting for a kinship carer's allowance, it is available just it's amazing the hoops they put up before you can get it.

You also need to think about any medical/dental treatment this girl might require as you are not a) the parent, and b) a legal guardian this throws up another battle for you.

Again get everything that Social services say to you in writing the amount of times they forget things or no sorry you misunderstood things is unbelieveable!! They even managed to loose my disclosure application that i filled out 4 years ago and they have only just realised that it is lost and that it never even got sent away to say i am a suitable carer.

TBH the least amount of contact i personally have with Social services the better, they have let me down sooooo many times it begger's believe.

If you are thinking about caring after this child permantly please seek good advice regarding this, i was bullied into applying for a residence order for my nephew from social services i was told i had six months to decide what i was prepared to do and if i had not made a decision by then then social services would take my nephew from me and place him in care.
You should be entitled to a residence allowance again i am not holding my breathe.

Good luck

Edit to say: you might find this forum of some help also http://www.frg.org.uk/gpforum/default.asp

Bossyboots

thesaint wrote:

Although the local authority may have 'removed' her, you will probably find that it is a voluntary arrangement. It is a small point, but an important one.
It is a very difficult explanation to explain, hopefully the support worker will be able to give you the information you need.

My guess is that they will gauge that you will keep her because you don't want to see her with starangers and make you a lot of promises that won't be put in writing. Beware.

The status of the placement is of no consequence to the foster carers other than knowing the procedures they need to follow in the event of attempt by mother to remove the child from their care.

Even if the arrangement for the girl being in care is voluntary, the carers are still entitled to the fostering allowance.

Zara33

Bossyboots wrote:

The status of the placement is of no consequence to the foster carers other than knowing the procedures they need to follow in the event of attempt by mother to remove the child from their care.

Even if the arrangement for the girl being in care is voluntary, the carers are still entitled to the fostering allowance.

The op is NOT a foster carer therfore he is not entitled to a fostering allowance, the op willingly offered to let the child stay at his home (sounds harsh i know)

play2day

Zara33 wrote:

The op is NOT a foster carer therfore he is not entitled to a fostering allowance, the op willingly offered to let the child stay at his home (sounds harsh i know)

Most friends and families carers are sought in emergencies to offer immediate care. The form F assessment and subsequent panel takes time therafter. Fostering allowance is definately paid in the intrim period in my area.

Bossyboots

Zara33 wrote:

The op is NOT a foster carer therfore he is not entitled to a fostering allowance, the op willingly offered to let the child stay at his home (sounds harsh i know)

What do you base this on?

My own personal experiences tell me that you are wrong. Even grandparents caring for their own grandchildren get paid the allowance. The allowance is not payable to a previously non-resident birth parent but someone who takes in a child at the request of social services IS entitled to the allowances payable to foster carers.

Having re-read the opening post again though it is actually not clear exactly who did ask the OP to take the child in but the inference that everyone has picked up is that is was social services. From the rest of the posts this does appear to be the case as mention is made of not wanting to return her to them. If however he has taken in the child at the request of the mother then you are correct and the fostering allowance is not payable.

Zara33

Kinship Care
Kinship Care is all about working together with Social Services to give long-term care to children born within your family or friendship circle.

If you are a grandparent, aunt, uncle, sibling, or other adult who is caring full-time for a child, you are providing kinship care.

Offering a child or young person lifelong commitment in a stable and loving environment is not easy, particularly if you have little experience of parenting or if your children are grown up and have left home. This can often cause stress, and change the lives of new kinship carers and their families.

Many carers will also have no experience of working with the Social Services department, and they may even feel confused and uncertain about their new role.

What support is available?
A supervising social worker from the Fostering Team will be on hand to visit you regularly and provide any support you may need. You should always be able to contact your social worker or, if necessary, a duty social worker.

There is also an out of hours telephone service, and your social worker will keep you informed of any training opportunities or support groups for kinship carers. In addition, the child’s own social worker will be in regular contact with you both.

What financial assistance will I be given?
You’ll receive a weekly allowance to cover the costs of caring for a child in your home. Any extra equipment, such as beds, prams or high chairs, that you may need, will be discussed with you prior to the child coming to live with you. Where necessary, the equipment will be purchased for you.

http://www.enfield.gov.uk/adoption/fostering/kinship/index.html

As i have already stated some local authorities are not so keen in letting you know about a kinship carer allowance.

Zara33

Bossyboots wrote:

What do you base this on?

My own personal experiences. As stated above

orlwaysbroke

Thanks again to all the above comments.

Have just been visited by a family support worker (who oddly did little supporting).

She's adamant that we are viewed as private fosterers, and as such are not entitled to any more that birth mother is prepared to pay.
I maintained that I am not happy with this inference, and yet as I expected there was nothing back other than "so we need to find *** another emergency placement - it's just the system, but if you agree to be private fosterer, here's a leaflet, then we'll see what we can do".

It's unreal.

So, wife and I are still lumbered with bureaucracy and jargon, as opposed to common sense.

Still no bed - as the child might be moved on if we aren't prepared to buckle and accept their terms. DOES THAT SOUND WRONG TO ANYONE ELSE?

The upshot is that we get a free bed (maybe) if we take on the child, with no further allowances guaranteed.