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fostering your grandchildren18
24/02/2014 08:04 Gaynor1964
Hi all any advice please what to expect at foster panel thank you xx
24/02/2014 16:07 suzylee73
Hi smile I think you should expect questions relating to your age so health questions and what your support system will be. If your going to panel it's pretty much a done deal in my opinion so good luck
25/02/2014 12:48 tropical1
Hi,
We've been to panel twice to foster 2 grandchildren.
We met the s/w first before we went in. we then got taken to a waiting area by the chairperson & told briefly what to expect. The s/w went in first without us & then we were called through. It was a large square table with approx 15 people around it. We all introduced ourselves & were then asked only 4 or 5 questions. I can't remember exactly what was asked, but I think they asked about how were going to manage practicallities of extra child/ren.
How our own DC was coping.
How it would impact on our relationship etc. It was fairly relaxed, although quite nerve racking as if we were unsucsessful, DGS's would have gone elsewhere.
We then had to go back to waiting area & were told after about 5 mins that we were approved!!
Good luck!
25/02/2014 18:04 NanaNina
Yes agree with tropical that's what is likely to happen. Just a word of caution, LAs these days are very fond of putting pressure on kinship carers to make applications for Special Guardianship Orders, because then the Parental Responsibility transfers from the LA to the kinship carers. This saves the LA time as they don't have to visit and provide any support. More importantly fostering allowances are mandatory, whereas this is not the case for SGOs and allowances are discretionary.
26/02/2014 11:47 tropical1
Yes Nananina We then went on to take both GS's under an SGO. We were assured by the SW that we would get allowance for them equivilant to the fostering payment. They then means tested us & said we were not eligable for any support. We took it to court with no legal representation. The LA then offered us support until the children started school. We refused this & said we were not prepared to proceed with the SGO. The judge was brilliant & ordered it to be sorted out that day. LA then agreed to give us support until they turn 18.
We have just got our first annual financial review form, so will be interesting to see if they try to withdraw payments!
26/02/2014 21:15 NanaNina
Well done!!! LAs are being so devious about pressurising kinship carers to apply for SGOs - they don't even tell people that it is the carers who have to make the application, not the social workers. There are not many carers who would have been courageous enough to do what you did and go to court without representation, and really pleased you were able to do this. Also glad the judge was brilliant and I hope it was written into the court documents that allowances equivalent to fostering allowances are to be paid until the children are 18. IF you do have problems in the future you can seek a judicial review of the matter by taking the case back to court.
27/02/2014 09:29 tropical1
Thank you!
I think having the caffcass guardian on our side definately helped our case. If we were unsucessful the boys were to have gone for adoption but obviously no one wanted that.
Will wait & see what this financial assessment shows, I may be asking your valuable advice soon!grin
27/02/2014 12:58 NanaNina
Yes guardians are often very helpful and influential in court and of course are independent of the LA. I think it might be a good idea to contact the LA and find out if the agreement made in court is actually written into the court documents (should be in the Assessment of Need) and if it specifically states that fostering equivalent allowances will be made till the children are 18. I am a bit concerned that they have already sent you the annual review form relating to finance which seems to indicate that these payments are still discretionary in nature. Forewarned is forearmed and all that.........
23/03/2014 10:09 Gaynor1964
Hi all im at foster panel this wed but as well as that im doing ass on spacial SGO DO YOU THINK they will fail me on fostering my grandchildren knowing im also doing SGO THANKS
25/03/2014 17:11 NanaNina
Sorry Gaynor but I don't understand your question. If you are being assessed for an SGO why are you going to Fostering Panel. It's usually one route or the other, not both. Can you give a bit more detail and I might be better able to help.
25/03/2014 18:17 Gaynor1964
sorry i did not explain prop im at foster panel tomorrow but if i fail im in court from next week to start SGS, what i was wondering was if foster no if i dont pass and no i will be doing the SGS that they will fail me because its easer and cheaper for them thank you
26/03/2014 08:18 Gaynor1964
well its D day wish me luck xx
26/03/2014 16:30 wonderpants
Wishing you luck, how did you get on?
27/03/2014 18:07 Gaynor1964
HI all i was approved went into panel was bit scary got asked 3 questions which i answered they were very warm and friendly and when chair person came out and said i was approved i started crying with happiness i need to be proud , i have had some bad things happen to me in life and im bipolar which i manage very well so it goes to show even when u think the worst and u fight for what is right u can do it ,im so proud ov my self xx
27/03/2014 18:10 Gaynor1964
id also like to say reading diff storys on hear help a lot and ill keep checking in thanks guys xx
28/03/2014 09:40 MerryInthechelseahotel
Well done Gaynor thanks
28/03/2014 18:57 Gaynor1964
thankyou feel so proud xxx
02/12/2018 08:05 heatherolly
Hi everyone ..im going through fostering assessments for my grandaughter who is 4 she has been in foster placements for neatly 2 years .mum and dad are both happy for me to have grandaughter and have told courts and LA .myself and other grandma hadnt been asked if we wanted the fostering assessments but were told we had to have them ..and the assessments which normally take 16 weeks have to be completed by handed in to go to panel bt tenth of jan its now dec 2nd and have only got form through for medical at docs .and form for consent for references and police checks .even the foster social worker does not agree that we should be doing the fostering and why the sgo hasnt even been mentioned .had a good viabilty assessment from the independent social worker before the last court appearance .also have not used solicitor as could not aford the 4 thousand pound .having assessments now forms have been sent out for references .it just seems never ending and im her nan at the end of the day.
heatherolly
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