The council has a legal duty to review the long-term arrangements and care plans for the children and young people it provides care for.
Some children and young people in stable foster homes may be better supported under a Special Guardianship Order (SGO). This offer seeks to celebrate these relationships. It recognises where children and young people might be looked after outside of the ‘child in care system’. It ensures that, if this is right for the child and carer, that the blocks that might prevent this order are removed.
Eligible foster carers can be assured that the local authority will maintain their carer fee for the child until the child is 18 years old. Further to this, we are protecting children’s care leaving entitlements. This is to ensure that no child is disadvantaged either financially or practically through a change in their legal status.
The conditions for the non-detriment SGO are as follows:
- The child must have been looked after by Cambridgeshire County Council and have been placed with the carers for a period of at least 18 months.
- The Director of Fostering, Adoption and Corporate Parenting will review the application to support an order and prevent a child becoming long term looked after by the council.
- The foster carer agrees with the support offered and is willing to provide permanent care to the child.
- Applicants who are not presently the foster carer of the child are not eligible for the non-detriment approach. SGO applications will continue to be assessed in line with the current process and relevant means testing criteria.
Applicants made Regulation 24 Carers during a full assessment will continue to be maintained in line with the current financial offer. This applies if they have a care plan under Section 20 or through court proceedings. In this instance, the local authority will remunerate the carer at their fostering rate minus child benefit (if applicable) for two years. After that, they will move to a means tested financial allowance, reviewed each year.
If you are interested in learning more about the special guardianship non-detriment offer, contact us at: FosteringRecruitment.&Assessment@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Cambridgeshire’s preferred approach is for the Local Authority to make an application to the Court to discharge the Care Order for the child and invite the application of the Foster Carer for a Special Guardianship Order. In these circumstances, Cambridgeshire will fund £600 towards the Carers legal costs. This should ensure that carers are both well informed about the nature of the Order and have the opportunity to have advocacy on the Special Guardianship Support plan.
