Kinship, or Sgo, housing and permanency

[StaySmiling]

I have had to NC for this hope someone here can help.

I have a relative who has been experiencing severe MH problems (leading to hospitalisation), and they have 3 school age children who have been going back and forth between my home and their mums home during the last 2 years.

The last time they were with me lasted almost 1 year during which time i was assessed for an SGO which was positive. I had a CAO prior to that. At the last minute the SW decided the sgo was no longer required and recommended they return home to their mother. That was a few weeks ago. This relative is now unwell and the children back in my care. This time the health situation is much more complex and is life threatening if not managed properly.

i have asked the Sw to implement the sgo but they have said its not a necessity but instead have offered kinship care as a solution.

Can anyone on here tell me if they have successfully gone from kinship care to an sgo. I believe that is for the best in the long run.

Also I am in a council property which is to small to fit all of us comfortably. Will this go against me ? (As a kinship carer) Are they obliged to assist me in approaching the council to get a larger place ? I am in a 1.5 room property (double room+box room) and now there are 4 children in here plus me the only adult.

Anyone ?

You can go from kinship to an sgo if the situation changes, it is more about what is possible and what is best for the children.

There really isn’t a lot of difference between the two and there is less support on an sgo. If it isn’t safe for them to go home then the children won’t whichever one they are under. However I appreciate you are looking for consistency for the children.

In theory your property is too small and the children shouldn’t be there now, but they have deemed it better for the children than another foster career they don’t know.

I know social services will inform the housing department about your situation which puts you in a higher band for a new property. However I am not sure if that guarantees a property as some areas have almost no council homes available.

Yes @Tacca, it is consistency that I am hoping for but the LA do not appear concerned for the to'ing and fro'ing that has been ongoing. I feel its too much instability for the children but again they dont seem bothered.
Council have said that I am not a victim of DV, racial attacks, sleeping rough therefore we are not a priority and remain classified as 'over crowded'.
I cannot express how disappointed i am in the way things work. It would not take much for them to do the right thing by these children - but its like am asking for the world.

At the moment who holds parental responsibility for these children so can consent for medical treatment etc.

I've noticed a real trend for this to slide from LAs recently and it has led to some children having non-essential but important medical treatment/ investigations delayed as often their sole parent is off the scene (unwell/ in prison), the person they live with cannot consent legally and the social workers are reluctant to do so or there may not actually be a care order in place allowing them to do so.

An SGO or residence order would give you this.

DOI: I see this for a medical point of view only and am not a social worker/ legally qualified.

PR is currently shared between their mother and the LA as i am only kinship caring atm.

Am at a loose end as to why the LA are not bothered about the children being moved back and forth during the last 18 moonths which has included 2 school moves and a toddler in tow.