Holidays during school time - social services said no

[KR94]

Hello
Back story, i have been fostering my twin nephews for 5 years from the age they were 4 and currently in the process of SGO just waiting for a court date. When the boys came into my care it was found out at the time that there “father” wasnt there father so we had to get there surnames changed (we now all share a surname). It took social services 3 years to get there names changed as they swap social workers so much, once the names were changed i requested passport as we wanted to take them away, which is what i had also been asking for during the 3 years it took to change there names, two years later i have just finally received there passports! I would love to take them on there first proper holiday during October half term but the prices are just to expensive for me to afford, to lower the cost i asked the social worker to ask the manager if i could take them half way threw half term and they would need 2 maybe 3 days off school to help with the cost. However the manager has rejected this even though the school have no issue!

Now i don't know what i can do because i just cannot afford to take them during the holidays due to being a single person. I personally think its disgusting that the local authority have refused this after taking 5 years to get it sorting and now the children will have to miss out after being so excited to finally get there passports.

does anyone have any advice or been in a similar situation?

[Worddance]

I'd just go. They're not going to take them off you.

[OhNoForever]

I think just go.

[StillWantingADog]

Do you need their permission? I’d just go and not give it further thought

[Kaill]

It was a silly thing to ask for. You know fine well that you can’t take children out of school for a holiday. They were right to say no.

[WontBeLong]

You always have to tell social services if going on holiday with dates,accommodation name and address and phone numbers and going abroad is even more difficult!school time holidays were a definite no,as a foster carer for 8 years and now have an sgo my worry would be that it could affect your sgo application even at this late stage.

[titchy]

Surely you can wait till the sgo has been finalised?

[Shayisgreat]

Sounds like you are currently foster carers and the LA has PR for the children who are looked after. If that's the case, you're going to have to wait until the sgo is granted before being able to go on holiday in term time.

[bellac11]

Who is going to give you the authorisation letter to take them if you just go?

When children need the birth certificate changing, it literally can take years, its not a straight forward thing so complaining about that is illogical.

Just wait until you have PR for them and then you can make whatever decisions you see fit.

The corporate parent cannot give permission for something like this and you know that, its not a special exceptional situation. You receive a fostering allowance to care for them and given you're saying you have never taken them away, the cost should be covered by what you havent spent so far

[SkinnyMalinkyLankyLegs]

Won't your fostering allowance that you receive for them cover any extra expenses for taking them away at peak times?

[Soontobe60]

I’m pretty certain that a week in a caravan at half term in the UK will be just as much fun as a week abroad for them - holidays are what you make of them!

[NoSquirrels]

They can’t authorise a term-time holiday, and neither can school.

Save up and aim for next year instead.

[Lavender14]

I'd ask if there's any additional assistance you could get for taking them at peak season under respite for example.

You can't just take them out of school mid term and the way they're looking at it, most young people in foster care firstly underachieve massively in school (I run a centre for kids who end up dropping out for this reason) and secondly tend to do best with a set routine and stability. I'm not saying a holiday isn't a great opportunity for them to get new experiences etc but I can see exactly why the trust want to prioritise their education because they are already at a significant disadvantage being care experienced within the education system. Also many children in foster care can struggle on holiday with the change in routine and location etc. I'd save a bit longer and try to go on a holiday at peak season unless the trust can maybe source you a grant or do something fab here. You could also get in touch with kinship carers charities and see if they can give you advice or recommend any grants etc in your area?

[YukoandHiro]

@SkinnyMalinkyLankyLegs

Won't your fostering allowance that you receive for them cover any extra expenses for taking them away at peak times?

Ahem...

[YukoandHiro]

Legally they're not going to be able to say yes. You shouldn't have asked, as you could have feigned ignorance if not, but it's too late now.

Sorry OP. I wouldn't risk some administrative crisis or greater scrutiny over it.

[LookingForPurpose]

@NoSquirrels

They can’t authorise a term-time holiday, and neither can school.

Save up and aim for next year instead.

This is absolute tosh, the school 100% CAN authorise a holiday, especially for extenuating circumstances like kids in care

[bellac11]

Children being in care is not an extenuating circumstance.

[Mariposista]

@NoSquirrels

They can’t authorise a term-time holiday, and neither can school.

Save up and aim for next year instead.

This. It is very commendable of you to take these children on, but when you are in charge of children there are things you cannot do. In term time, they have school. End of.

[NoSquirrels]

@LookingForPurpose

This is absolute tosh, the school 100% CAN authorise a holiday, especially for extenuating circumstances like kids in care

Sorry, what I should have said is: schools (headteachers) can only authorise holidays in term time for exceptional/extenuating circumstances, which just being a looked after child is not. They may agree to turn a blind eye to reporting absence of a few days around a holiday, but they cannot officially sanction it unless they’re willing to defend it as exceptional circumstances. It’s the law, and most headteachers are understandably reluctant to go on a limb.
For the same reason (it’s the law), social services won’t/can’t authorise a term-time holiday. That it costs more/is too expensive is irrelevant. It’s not ‘exceptional’ because it’s the same for everyone.

[mathanxiety]

I think you need to just shelve the idea for now, and find some other enjoyable activities for the children during the midterm break.

Do what the social workers tell you. You are almost at the finish line of this long process. You'll have much more freedom once it's over .

Hats off to you for taking on the parental role.

[Passerillage]

I wouldn't do anything that risks holding up your SGO - keep things moving smoothly without any arguments until that is in place. An overseas holiday isn't a right that the social worker is withholding, or even necessarily more fun than a holiday in the UK.

They're in year 4 or 5, so presumably you work, and you get something like £25k a year in fostering allowance (I believe? I could be hugely wrong!) so between that you should be able to manage a really fantastic holiday in the UK, even if it isn't a typical "2 weeks all inclusive in Spain" sort of thing. An adventure by train to Cornwall and an airbnb chalet or even caravan by the sea would be endless fun for two nine year olds.

[SkinnyMalinkyLankyLegs]

@YukoandHiro

Ahem...

?

[ThreeKneeRepeater]

Sorry but you are wrong. Hope you are embarrassed.

[titchy]

Whaaaat?!!!! wow that's bad!