Council would rather I put 2 children in to care!!

fluffnutter

I don't understand this. What happens if you own your home? Say my husband has a couple of kids that need to come live with us. Currently we (my husband, son and I) live in a titchy two bedroom terrace. Swinging the cat is such a problem we've had to stop.

If we had these two (admittedly fictitious) kids come to live with us, do I take it that I can ask the council to fund an extension for me?

I appreciate that it's not a great comparison because social housing is allocated on the basis of family size (amongst other things) but even so! If these kids mean so much to you, I'm sure you can manage. Get yourself on the list for a bigger house and have them come live with you. It will be a squeeze but I doubt it will be for ever.

fluffnutter

BaxUk wrote: »

Potential right wing view, however I would say be happy that you have been provided with housing.

Many people have to save up for 10 years + to be able to afford to buy a house of their own, and may have to live with their parents for all of this time.

You've been provided with a house by the council, i would support what people have said earlier, budge up and make room with a sofa bed etc.

I'm so left wing I make Lenin look like Thatcher but I'm inclined to agree with you on this one...

fluffnutter

I think much of the problem is that the department that deals with child protection won't ever communicate with the department that allocates housing.

It will actually cost far more (not to mention the impact on these poor kids) to take them into care than it will to place them with their dad and allocate a larger house/pay for an extension.

But do you think councils are that organised?? Yeah right

Tiddlywinks

nearlysorted wrote: »

It seems the council and child services would rather see the 2 boys placed in to the care system then help us get the property size we need.
Are the any organisations out there that could possibly help us?

How did people cope before the welfare state?

Here's an idea - find a way to make the best of a bad situation... sofa beds, bunk beds, using the dining area or even the bathroom...

The reality is that there is very little money sloshing around - suck it up... it's your family so do the best you can.

squirrelchops

One local authority I worked for did actually pay for a family to have an extension built rather than have to pay for 2 children to go into care! Highly extreme but it has been known. I should add this wasn't for one of the children's parents but an extended relative.

However, this is highly unlikely.

Also the comment regarding 'those in child protection do not communicate with housing' is the biggest load of tosh ever! These departments communicate often on a daily basis. However, children's services very often have little sway with housing who, in my experience are so constrained by red tape that they cannot act independently of procedure.

I would seek letters of support from the children's social worker, which they will do and try to get to the top of the bidding list.

Mojisola

nearlysorted wrote: »

We contacted the council to find out whether they could extend our property as we have the land and also have 4 boys sharing a room.

They have told us we can fund the extension ourselves, but there is no budget from them.

It seems the council and child services would rather see the 2 boys placed in to the care system then help us get the property size we need.

Why focus on an extension? Have you asked about moving to a larger house?

terryw

Is it not worth spending a few pounds in advertising for someone with a larger house to do an exchange with you?

With the changes in the excess bedroom subsidy there may well be other tenants who are looking for a smaller house.


w

nearlysorted

Thank you one all for some helpful suggestions.

Firstly I am very grateful that the council have provided me a home, for which I have worked and paid my rent and council tax on time and maintained my property.
My husband and I have looked in to buying and extending however as he has changed employment to a lower paid job we would not be able to afford the mortgage (London prices)
The council did suggest putting the children in to care or contacting child services to see if they have a budget for it!
I thought I would get a flaming for daring to suggest the council extending my property, however as someone said, if I funded it myself they would have the benefit:eek:
Also I am not the one failing my children, I am trying to help someone else who has/is failing her children, (she has more children with someone else)
We have tried the route of cost of an extension versus the cost of children's home etc... And will speak with child services again tomorrow.
Of course I will not put these 2 boys into care and we will squash up!!
Sadly our front room is also a through kitchen so we can't even make that in to another bedroom.
We are currently saving to buy a huge summerhouse that will at least be somewhere the older boys can go for some peace, sadly though my funds and savings can only go so far:eek::eek:

nearlysorted

terryw wrote: »

Is it not worth spending a few pounds in advertising for someone with a larger house to do an exchange with you?

With the changes in the excess bedroom subsidy there may well be other tenants who are looking for a smaller house.


w

We may have to do this, the problem here lies with me... This has been my family home for 24years. My mother gave up the house for me when I had my son and daughter, I really love my house and don't want to move. Before the flaming begins though, I am not saying that I wouldn't for the boys, besides the council don't have any bigger properties around here, which is why they are extending some properties to make them bigger

Dogger69

nearlysorted wrote: »

I thought I would get a flaming for daring to suggest the council extending my property, however as someone said, if I funded it myself they would have the benefit:eek:

With a secure tenancy, it is most definitely you that benefits from work done on the house.

Also I am not the one failing my children, I am trying to help someone else who has/is failing her children,

You make it sound like these children are nothing to do with you. They are your husband's children, your step children. When you chose to have three more children, you should have taken into account that there may be a day when these children needed your support.

No one has suggested you are failing any of the children. But you need to focus on how you can help yourself, and not expect others to come up with the money to fund your family.