help with house renovations due to fostering???

[shin1]

I have recently had to take in my husbands 16yr old niece into my 3 bed house where we live with our 3 boys. We are so cramped and now looking into a loft conversion. SW said we could get help with costs but I can't find out any info. Does anyone know anything about this??

Does your niece have a history of being in care or is the first time she has needed to be 'looked after' by a relative?

It's presumably a council scheme - you should give them a ring and ask about private sector housing renovation grants.

But as your SW works for the council, you could ask them for help with a name and direct dial number. I think you've got enough on your plate at present.

This used to happen to support FC in taking difficult to place children (large families/SN) . It's v difficult to get in my LA & prob more so now with the huge cuts.

If someone agrees , get it in writing from the highest person possible so they can't wriggle out of it

I would expect that the scheme is administered within social services, but social workers can be quite manipulative and I've known many, many say something you want to hear then deny it or back track or forget so get back onto the SW and ask him/her what he/she meant and how to get the ball rolling.