To approve a change to the policy for Special Guardianship financial support so that foster carers who decide to apply for a Special Guardianship Order (SGO) for a looked after child continue to receive financial allowances at the rate equivalent to fostering allowances and fees for the duration of the SGO arrangement.

The cabinet member children and families introduced the item. The proposal would increase the financial allowance for carers with a Special Guardianship Order (SGO) to the same level as foster carers. Having a SGO conferred benefits for the child and for the carers. The carer would be able to take day-to-day decisions and would have reduced contact with social workers. The child would be treated the same as other children in the family. The reduced contact with social workers would release capacity in the service to focus on those children needing more support. The modest cost of the proposal would be met from existing budgets.

The chair of the children’s wellbeing scrutiny committee supported the proposal and noted that it would remove potential stigma for a child in a family.

It was explained that an SGO would be put in place through the court and would grant the holder(s) parental responsibility for the child until the age of 18. While contact with social workers would reduce, continued family support would be available where families wanted it and they would be able to contact the council for support at any point in the future.

Group leaders were invited to express the views of their group. There was support for the proposal and it was queried whether there were other changes that could be made to deliver similar benefits.

It was agreed that:

a)     The revised financial policy for special guardianship orders at appendix 1 is approved; and

b)     The policy is implemented from 1 April 2019.