Foster nephew

[mazworld15]

Hi, would like to ask if anyone can give me some advice?
My sister is a single parent (alchoholic husband) to a 12 yr old boy. She is in a psychiatric hospital and has been on and off for over a year.Her son is 16 stone with behavioural problems. They are in Scotland he is staying with my elderly parents who can no longer cope.
We r in England with one son with autism. My parents have had no support monetory or otherwise the social worker dealing with the case is useless-on 3 occassions she hasn't turned up, no phone call, apology, nothing.
The only option now is he lives with us and I dont think we'd get any financial help either. Should I just go and get him? Cant see what else to do there's no-one else.
Hope somebody can give me some advice, thanks, Maz.

the social worker is aware of all this and has left the child in the situation?

I'm sure they have never told her they cant cope, they've hardly seen the social worker anyway, she books appointments to come to the house on Friday afternoons and doesnt turn up. Early night for her-2 old people she knows are too scared of authority to complain.

i don't think foster children can just be looked after by anyone can they? i mean it's like a contract isn't it? go higher than the social worker, go to her boss. i really don't think you can just take in a foster child you haven't been approved to look after.

Yes you might be right, suppose I 'm scared to complain about her as well in case they turn round and take him in to care.

oh i see, you mean you want to foster your nephew, not that your sister has fostered him but you want to take over? rather a big difference!

I don't know about the law in Scotland but in England you can look after him on a private fostering arrangement, you will need to inform social services if you are doing this. I have no idea what financial support, if any, private foster carers get, but I expect you would get the child benefit and any tax credits you would get if he was your birth child. If he is considered to be a child in need you might be able to care for him under section 20 of the children act, which would make you a family and friends/kinship carer, for which you should get support from social services and some financial support, but you would have to argue that he needs to be fostered (ie be 'in care') and that you are the best people to do it. There is a chance that if you make enough fuss they will accept that he should be 'in care' but not agree that you should look after him - but it's likely (unless you have issues you haven't said) that you would be, as family is always preferable to strangers.

I would call up the manager of your son's SW to discuss it with them as a first port of call. They may try to fob you off but if you believe in it enough you must be persistent. Best of luck.

Hi, thanks so much for your reply, I rang Social Services today to ask for the SW boss's e-mail address ( would find it easier to e-mail than complain on the phone) but they said they dont give out e-mail addresses!
Am too scared to go too far, because she has let him get so big (he's 16 stone)I've got visions of them turning up at mum's and taking him away.I think I'll ring SS here in England and see if they can help, thanks Maz.