To give financial assistance to new mum, not baby and not dad? Mum knows best..

[mummyofhyperDD]

My paternal cousin and his wife are expecting their longed for IVF baby, they aren’t well off and I want to help out. I was speaking to her today - she is going to set up a junior ISA (in our culture cash gifts are normall) but I said that’s fine but I want to gift her (small sums) into her name to help with unexpected bills - my DD needed a autism/aDHD assessment, possible because I’d not put all my savings for her future into a junior ISA - neurodivergence is common in our family and having the funds to go private is really helpful. My DD is 10 so will have left school by the time this bump goes into secondary school.
I have a great relationship with my cousin (the dad) but maybe because I’m divorced and raising my child alone I just think the mum’s instinct is best placed to help the new baby? New mum says everything should go into a junior ISA for baby that can’t be touched - I felt like this when DD was born but was relieved I kept savings separate for her medical needs.

Why don’t you just save the money for her and give it to her if and when she needs it?

Give thr first gift for the ISA THEN future gifts to your cousin to save separately

Yes, this is a good idea.

You don't want to come across as bullish just because you're experienced and she's a new mum.

If they're requesting gifts for the ISA then go with that but perhaps gift a little less, so as @Dartmoorcheffy suggests you can gift separate money also.

This is a good suggestion but I don’t want her to be in a position to have to ask me. When my DD was born 10 years ago I was able to get a good interest rate (5%?) on a Halifax regular saver I paid into each month, and I could take that money out - I used it for medical expenses..

Thanks for this suggestion - exactly, I don’t want to come across as bullish . My experience was that it was so helpful I could access the money I’d put aside for DD to help her now, and lots of peers have future savings locked up in JISAs and can’t access for their benefit now - but no one ever anticipates their child needing extra help - medical/ educational- and it’s not something you’d ever wish on a new baby - I think I’m cautious because of my experience

Transfer it to mum and say you’re happy for her to save it for a rainy day should DD need anything or she can transfer it to the Junior ISA. No biggy really.