core care needs of the child/ren. Payments are made to carers to meet core care needs. 9. Management Overview of this Policy Managerial accountability for Telford & Wrekin Council’s Family and Friends/Connected Persons Policy resides with the Service Delivery Manager for Fostering and Children in Care. Telford & Wrekin Council have an existing consultation group for all foster carers including Family and Friends/Connected Person Foster Carers. There is also a support group for Family and Friends/Connected Person Foster Carers and Special Guardians. These groups are co-ordinated by lead officers responsible for assessment and support of Family and Friends/Connected Persons Foster Carers. An annual report detailing operation of the Family and Friends Policy will be presented to the Senior Management group covering: Statistical information in respect of different service uptake by family and friends carers – sufficiency duty. Identified Needs. Consultation with family and friends carers and children in their care. Recommended action plan. Update of this policy annually.
Private fostering Family care (informal) Family and friends foster care Unrelated foster care Child Arrangements Order Special Guardianship Order (SGO) Adoption Parental Responsibility (PR) Parental Responsibility (PR) remains with birth parents. PR remains with birth parents but the person who cares for the child may do what is reasonable to safeguard or promote the child’s welfare. PR remains with birth parents if the child is accommodated on a voluntary basis under section 20 of the Children Act 1989. If the child is subject to a Care Order or Emergency Protection Order the local authority will have parental responsibility and determines the extent to which it may be exercised by others. PR is shared by parents and holder of the Child Arrangements Order specifying with whom the child is to live. If the Order sets out who the child is to have contact with, PR can also be conferred on that person/s. PR shared with parents and any one else with parental responsibility for the child. The special guardian may exercise parental responsibility to the exclusion of all others with PR, apart from another Special Guardian. PR transfers to adopters and the child’s relationship with birth parents is severed. Approval basis The arrangement may be assessed by the Local Authority, but the carer is not ‘approved’ in the same was as a Local Authority foster carer. The arrangement may be prohibited if assessed by the local authority as unsuitable. Subject to the discretion of person with PR. Approved as local authority foster carers in accordance with Fostering Services Regulations (if child is Looked After (carers must be approved as foster carers even if a close relative). A Child Arrangements Order is granted by the Court. A Special Guardianship Order is granted by the Court. The Local Authority must investigate the matter and prepare a report for the court dealing with the suitability of the applicants to become a special guardian. An Adoption agency assesses and approves prospective adopters. The court will grant an Adoption Order if satisfied it is in the child’s best interests. If the child is not Looked After then notice of intention to adopt must be given to the Local Authority to carry out an assessment/report for the court.
Telford & Wrekin Council Support Services No entitlement. Provision of advice and support as determined necessary by the Local Authority, which may assess the child as a Child in Need, with a Child in Need Plan, and provide services/ support for child/family under section 17 of the Children Act 1989. No entitlement but the local authority may assess and provide services/ support for child/family under section 17 of the Children Act 1989. Where concerns arise in relation to the care of children in private arrangements, normal processes for referral and assessment under Section 17 or Section 47 Children Act 1989 apply. Support Services which may be offered to a Friend and Family Foster Carer may include: Support to meet child’s needs including health plan and personal education plan. Training and practical support in accordance with the Fostering Services, National Minimum Standards and Training, Support and Development standards. Young person may be entitled to leaving care support services. Referral to welfare benefits advice. Membership of specific support groups for friend and family foster carers. Referral to CAMHS – Child Adolescent Mental Health Services. Access to ‘Out of Hours’ advice in case of emergencies. Ongoing support and annual review. This is not an exhaustive list, and support services will be assessed based on the child’s needs. No entitlement. The child may have an allocated social worker from the Case Management, Family & Friends Team or Disabled Children’s Team. If so, the social worker will visit the child and the carers at least annually to review the arrangements for the child’s care and the appropriateness of continuing with any financial allowance which may be paid. The allocated social worker will record the Child in Need Review and annually review payments. Reviews may take place more frequently where there has been a If the child was Looked After prior to making the SGO, the Local Authority must assess the need for Special Guardianship support services. The Local Authority has discretion whether to provide support. Support may include adoption support workshops and support from a Special Guardianship Support Worker, along with support to meet the child/ren’s specific needs. Telford & Wrekin Council undertakes assessments for adoption support services, which may be provided at the discretion of the Local Authority in accordance with Regulations and National Minimum Standards. Any support required is then set out in an Adoption Support Plan. Private fostering Family care (informal) Family and friends foster care Unrelated foster care Child Arrangements Order Special Guardianship Order (SGO) Adoption
Telford & Wrekin Council Support Services Family and Friends/Connected Person Foster Carers are supported by the Local Authority in the same way as mainstream foster carers. The Fostering Team are responsible for providing regular supervision to foster carers. significant change in the child’s circumstances or where the circumstances otherwise require it. Private fostering Family care (informal) Family and friends foster care Unrelated foster care Child Arrangements Order Special Guardianship (SGO) Adoption
Financial support – entitlement May be entitled to claim child benefit and child tax credit if not being paid to parent. Financial responsibility to maintain the child remains with holder or holders of PR. May be entitled to claim child benefit and child tax credit if not being paid to a parent. Financial responsibility to maintain the child remains with holder or holders of PR. Guardians Allowance (which may be claimed from the Benefits Agency) payable if both parents have died, or the only surviving parent cannot be found or is serving a 2 years or more prison sentence. Child benefit and child tax credit not payable. Weekly allowance to meet the costs of caring for the child. There is a scheme of allowances which set out the rates payable by Telford & Wrekin Council which are means tested. May be entitled to claim child benefit and child tax credit if not being paid to parent. May be entitled to claim child benefit and child tax credit if not being paid to parent. May be entitled to claim child benefit and child tax credit if not being paid to parent. Private fostering Family care (informal) Family and friends foster care Unrelated foster care Child Arrangements Order Special Guardianship (SGO) Adoption
Telford & Wrekin discretionary financial support Parents are expected to provide fully for their children’s care, including ensuring that relevant welfare benefits are transferred to the private foster carer. Where Section 17 is applied, children are made subject to a Child in Need Plan which aims to ensure that parents take full responsibility for the child’s care Parents are expected to provide fully for their children’s care, including ensuring that relevant welfare benefits are transferred to the informal family carer. Where Section 17 is applied, children are made subject of a Child in Need plan which aims to ensure that parents take full responsibility for their child’s care Telford & Wrekin Council provides a core allowance to all foster carers. Discretionary payments are made in accordance with Statutory Guidance for Fostering Services. Where temporary approval is given to Connected Persons, carers will receive financial support based on the full Telford & Wrekin Fostering Kinship Allowance and financial assessment. Telford & Wrekin Council accepts no assumption of entitlement to financial or other support under a Child Arrangements Order (CAO). This is a matter of assessment. Any allowance granted is reviewed annually. The decision to pay a CAO Allowance must be informed by one of the following: A Child & Family Assessment The child’s Looked After Review. The child’s Care Plan A request by a person holding a CAO Financial support is provided according to assessment of need and means testing Telford & Wrekin Council accepts no assumption of entitlement to financial or other support under an SGO. This is a matter of assessment. Any allowance is reviewed annually in line with Special Guardianship Regulations. Financial Support for Special Guardians is provided under Telford & Wrekin’s Adoption Support and Special Guardianship Finance Scheme Telford & Wrekin Council accepts no assumption of entitlement to financial or other support in respect of adoption. This is a matter of assessment. Any allowance is reviewed annually. Entitlement to assessment for financial support (part of adoption support) if the child was looked after prior to an order being granted. Where financial support is assessed as necessary to ensure the needs of the child are met, this is means tested Private fostering Family care (informal) Family and friends foster care Unrelated foster care Child Arrangements Order Special Guardianship (SGO) Adoption
Telford & Wrekin discretionary financial support If private foster carers decide to apply for a Child Arrangements Order, a decision to pay an allowance will be made by the Service Delivery Manager (Fostering), following a financial assessment. A decision to pay a CAO allowance will be made by the Service Delivery Manager (Fostering) following a financial assessment. Financial support is provided according to an assessment of need and means testing. Any financial support that is agreed is documented in a written agreement. Where financial support is assessed as necessary to ensure the child’s care needs are met, this calculation will be based on the specific needs of the Any financial support that is agreed in the support plan. In cases where the applicant does receive an income and this is less than the means tested level, they will still receive a specific allowance, but Child Benefit will be deducted from that amount. In cases where the applicant relies solely on benefits and has no other income, they will receive an allowance and child benefits will be deducted. The person who holds the SGO is Foster carers who go on to adopt children in their care will receive 2 years continued remuneration in line with the fostering allowance minus state benefits plus the reward element.