Family and Friends Care Policy

1. Introduction

Children may be brought up by members of their extended families, friends or other people who are connected with them for a variety of reasons and in a variety of different arrangements.

This policy sets out the Local Authority's approach towards promoting and supporting the needs of such children and covers the assessments which will be carried out to determine the services required and how such services will then be provided.

2. Values and Principles

Consideration of children's welfare and best interests will always be at the centre of the work we do.

It is an underlying principle that children should be enabled to live within their families unless this is not consistent with their welfare. We will therefore work to maintain children within their own families, and facilitate services to support any such arrangements, wherever this is consistent with the child's safety and well-being. This principle applies to all children in need, including those who are Looked After by the Local Authority. Where a child cannot live within his or her immediate family and the Local Authority is considering the need to look after the child, we will focus on identifying potential carers within the child's network of family or friends who are able and willing to care for the child.

We will provide support for any such arrangements based on the assessed needs of the child, not simply on their legal status, and will seek to ensure that family and friends carers are provided with support to ensure that children do not become Looked After by the Local Authority, or do not have to remain Looked After longer than is needed.

3. Legal Framework

All Local Authorities have a general duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in need living within their area and to promote the upbringing of such children by their families. The way in which they fulfil this duty is by providing a range and level of services appropriate to those children's assessed needs (Section 17, Children Act 1989). This can include financial, practical or other support.

It is important to note that Local Authorities do not have a general duty to assess all arrangements where children are living within their family network rather than their parents. It does however, have a duty where it appears that services may be necessary to safeguard or promote the welfare of a child in need.

Looked after children will always come within the definition of children in need, whether they are accommodated under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989 (with parental consent) or in care subject to a court order whereby the Local Authority shares parental responsibility for the child. The Local Authority has a responsibility wherever possible to make arrangements for a looked after child to live with a member of the family (Section 22 of the Children Act 1989).

The status of a placement will determine the nature and amount of financial support and who can authorise its payment. The legal status of the child will also have a bearing on the levels of financial support which may be available to carers.

Local Authorities may provide carers of children in need with financial support on a regular or one-off basis, under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989. It is crucial that the social worker and their manager are clear about the status of the placement before financial support is offered. If the placement has been agreed and arranged by the parents and their immediate family without social work involvement, then this arrangement will be deemed to be under the auspices of Section 17. Financial support may include discretionary funding based upon a financial means test if appropriate.

If however, the social worker or manager has been involved in the arrangements for the placement, and due to safeguarding risks, the child or young person would become Looked After if this arrangement were not to go ahead, then these arrangements would determine that the child or young person has become Looked After. The financial support to these arrangements would then be provided initially via the Fostering Service and the carers becoming temporarily approved as Connected Persons Foster Carers.

There are different legislative provisions which apply to financial support for children living with family or friends in Looked After/Adoption/Special Guardianship/Child Arrangement Order arrangements. The following sections of this policy set out the financial support that may be provided to family and friends who are caring for children in these different contexts.

A Child in Need is defined in Section 17(10) of the Children Act 1989 as a child who is disabled or who is unlikely to achieve or maintain a reasonable standard of health or development without the provision of services by the Local Authority.
Children in Need may live with members of their family or friends in a variety of different legal arrangements, some formal and some informal. Different court orders are available to formalise these arrangements.

4. Different Situations whereby Children may be Living with Family and Friends Carers

4.1 Informal family and friends care arrangements made by parents (or those with parental responsibility) outside of the remit of the Local Authority

Where a child cannot be cared for by his or her birth parents, those who have parental responsibility may make their own arrangements to arrange care for their child with a close relative. Close relative is defined as 'a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt (whether of the full blood or half blood or by marriage or civil partnership) or step-parent.

Birth parents could also consider placing their child with non related friends for up to 28 days but any longer than this would be considered Private Fostering and subject to Local Authority involvement: see Section 4.2, Private fostering arrangements.

Child in Need arrangements

The Local Authority does not have a duty to assess any such informal family and friends care arrangements, as above, unless it appears to the authority that services may be necessary to safeguard or promote the welfare of a child in need. In such cases, the Local Authority has a responsibility under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 to assess the child's needs and provide services to meet any assessed needs of the child. Following an assessment, a child in need plan may be drawn up and a package of support identified if appropriate. This can comprise of a variety of different types of services and support, including financial support where appropriate.

4.2 Private fostering arrangements

A privately fostered child is a child under 16 (or 18 if disabled) who is cared for by an adult who is not a parent or close relative, where the child is to be cared for in that home for 28 consecutive days or more. Close relative is defined as 'a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt (whether full blood or half blood or by marriage or civil partnership) or step-parent.' It does not include a child who is Looked After by a Local Authority. In a private fostering arrangement, the parent still holds parental responsibility and agrees the arrangement with the private foster carer.

The Local Authority has a duty to assess and monitor the welfare of all privately fostered children and the way in which they carry out these duties is set out in the Children (Private Arrangements for Fostering) Regulations 2005. Financial responsibility remains with the parents. However, the Local Authority may also become involved with a child in a private fostering arrangement where the child comes within the definition of a child in need. In such cases, the Local Authority has a responsibility to provide services to meet the assessed needs of the child under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989. Following assessment, a child in need plan will be drawn up and a package of support will be identified. As in 4.1 above, this can comprise a variety of different types of services and support, including financial support.

See also: Private Fostering Procedure.

4.3 Family and friends foster carers – "Connected Persons"

Where a child is going to be placed by the Local Authority and subsequently Looked After by the Local Authority, we have a responsibility wherever possible to make arrangements for the child to live with a member of the family who will need to be approved as a foster carer (Section 22 of the Children Act 1989). Before the child can be placed, temporary approval will need to be given by a Service Manager in the Fostering Service. The child can then be placed with the family members subject to a 'Connected Persons' Carers assessment for up to 16 weeks whilst a fostering assessment is completed and presented to Foster Panel. Where temporary approval is given to such a placement under the procedure, the carers will receive financial support on a regular basis.

In addition the child will have a placement plan which sets out the specific arrangements surrounding the child and the carers including the expectations of the foster carers.

The assessment and approval process for family and friends who apply to be foster carers for a specific Looked After child will be the same as for any other foster carer except that the timescales for the assessment are different where a child is already in the placement as indicated above.

Once approved as foster carers, they will be allocated a supervising social worker from the Fostering Service to provide them with support and supervision; and they will receive fostering allowances for as long as they care for the child as a foster carer.

While the child remains a Looked After child, as a foster carer, they will be expected to cooperate with all the processes that are in place to ensure that the child receives appropriate care and support, for example, contributing to reviews of the child's care plan, working with the child's social worker and promoting the child's education and health needs. There will be an expectation that as a foster carer, relevant and appropriate training will be undertaken.

4.4 Child Arrangement Order

A Child Arrangement Order is a Court Order which gives parental responsibility to the person in whose favour it is made, usually lasting until the child is 18. Parental responsibility is shared with the parents.

Relatives may apply for a Child Arrangement Order after caring for the child for one year.

Child Arrangement Orders may be made in private family proceedings in which the Local Authority is not a party nor involved in any way in the arrangements. However, a Child Arrangement Order in favour of a relative or foster carer (who was a 'Connected Person') with whom a child is living may be an appropriate outcome as part of a permanence plan for a child in need or a 'looked after' child.

The Local Authority may pay Child Arrangement Order Allowances to relatives or friends, unless they are a spouse or civil partner of a parent, with whom a child is living under a Child Arrangement Order. This is set out in paragraph 15 of Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989 however this is discretionary.

If the child is not a looked after child, then the decision to provide financial support under Section 17 is undertaken by the Head of Service for FSS or Head Of Service for MASH and R&A. If a private foster carer wants to apply for a Child Arrangement Order, then court fees will be considered up to a maximum of £2500.

4.5 Special Guardianship Order

Special Guardianship offers a further option for children needing permanent care outside their birth parents. It can offer greater security without absolute severance from the birth family as in adoption. The following individuals can apply to be a child’s special guardian if they are not their parent and are over 18:

• They are already the child’s legal guardian;
• The child lives with the carer because of a child arrangements order;
• The child has lived with the carer for 3 of the past 5 years;
• The carer is the child’s relative or a foster parent, and the child has been living with them for at least 1 year;
• The carer has the agreement of anyone named in a child arrangements order as someone who the child will live with;
• The carer has agreement of all the people with parental responsibility for the child;
• The carer has the agreement of the local council, if the child is in care;
• If the carer does not fit one of these descriptions, they will need to ask the court’s permission to apply.

A joint application can also be made. For further information and for forms please see: Becoming a Special Guardian.

4.6 Adoption Order

Adoption is the process by which all parental rights and responsibilities for a child are permanently transferred to an adoptive parent by a court. As a result the child legally becomes part of the adoptive family.

An Adoption Order in favour of a relative or foster carer who was a 'Connected Person' with whom a child is living may be an appropriate outcome as part of a permanence plan for a Child in Need or a 'looked after' child.

Local Authorities must make arrangements, as part of their Adoption Service, for the provision of a range of adoption support services. They then have to undertake assessments of the need for adoption support services at the request of the adopted child, adoptive parents and their families, as well as birth relatives. The support required is then set out in an adoption support plan and this may include financial support.

4.7 Ukrainian Children and Young People

Kinship Arrangements

The UK government has put into place three different visa routes for Ukrainians who wish to come or remain in the UK since the war in the Ukraine started. These are:

• Ukraine Family Scheme;
• Homes for Ukraine;
• Ukraine Extension Scheme.

Private Fostering

If a child or young person is living with a Homes for Ukraine sponsor, is under 16 and the sponsor is not a close relative, this is a statutory private fostering arrangement. All private fostering responsibilities and procedures must be followed in these cases. See Section 4.2, Private fostering arrangements.

Please Note: These resources are being continually updated and so it is important that you seek the most up to date guidance when considering a kinship placement for a Ukrainian child or young person. Further advice can be found here: Family Rights Group Website and The Ukraine Advice Project UK.

5. Provision of Financial Support - General Principles

There are three categories of payment, which may be considered. One or more of these may be applicable, depending on the particular circumstances of the case:

1. Subsistence crisis (one-off) payments: These could be used to overcome a crisis, following the best assessment that can be achieved in the circumstances;
2. Setting-up: These are for such items as clothing, furniture, or bedding. The social worker must be satisfied that the carer's financial position justifies the payment through a financial assessment. Assistance may be given subject to conditions, including repayment in certain situations. However, in most situations, it will be inappropriate for the department to seek to recover money provided under these circumstances;
3. Weekly living contribution: It is possible for the Local Authority to make regular payments where family members or friends care for a child whether or not the child is Looked After. Where regular payments are to be made, family and friends carers should be assisted to maximize their Income/Benefit as regular payments may adversely affect an individual's claim to income support.

In all cases where regular financial support is agreed, a letter will be drawn up detailing the level and duration of the financial support that is to be provided, and the mechanism for review.

The following criteria will be applied to all such payments:

• The purpose of the payments must be to safeguard and promote the welfare of the child;
• As part of the assessment, a view should be taken as to whether the carers need financial support based on their reasonable requirements in taking on the care of the child;
• There are no other legitimate sources of finance;
• Payments will be paid to the carer, not the parents;
• The payment would not place any person in a fraudulent position.

5.1 Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund

Local authorities and regional adoption agencies can apply for therapeutic funding for eligible adoptive, special guardianship order and child arrangement order families. Local authorities and RAAs must apply to the ASGSF within 3 months of assessing a family’s support needs. The Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) is available to most children being raised under a Special Guardianship and Child Arrangement Order. This also includes children up to and including the age of 21, or 25 with an education, health and care (EHC) plan who:

• Are living (placed) with a family in England while waiting for adoption;
• Were adopted from local authority care in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland and live in England;
• Were adopted from abroad and live in England with a recognised adoption status;
• Were in care before an SGO was made;
• Left care under a special guardianship order that was subsequently changed to an adoption order, or vice versa;
• Are under a residency order or child arrangement order (CAO) and were previously looked after;
• Were previously looked after but where the adoption, special guardianship, residency or CAO placement has broken down, irrespective of any reconciliation plans.

For more information and how to apply, see: Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF).

6. Accommodation

The Local Authority works with landlords to ensure that, whenever possible, family and friends carers living in social housing are given appropriate priority to move to more suitable accommodation if this will prevent the need for a child to become Looked After.

7. Employment Support

Kinship Carers in the Workplace: Guidance for Employers sets out best practice for supporting kinship carers at work, including the right to be entitled to leave benefits similar to that of parents and adopters.

8. Education

From 1 September 2021, the School Admissions Code provides that children being raised by family and friends carers under a Special Guardianship Order or Child Arrangements Order, who struggle to get a school place during the year, will be supported in finding one. In addition, Pupil Premium for permanently placed children (also known as Pupil Premium Plus) was introduced in 2014. Pupil Premium Plus is awarded in recognition that many adopted and permanently placed children need extra support in school because of the circumstances that led to them being placed into care, and later being adopted or being placed on a SGO or CAO. See Pupil Premium: Overview.

Promoting the Education of Children with a Social Worker and Children in Kinship Care Arrangements: Virtual School Head Role Extension highlights the inclusion of children in kinship settings having access to the virtual school head program to continue to support their academic achievement.

9. Supporting Contact with Parents

The authority has a duty to promote contact for all children in need, although this differs depending on whether or not the child is Looked After.

Where the child is not Looked After, we are required to promote contact between the child and his/her family 'where it is necessary to do so in order to safeguard and promote his or her welfare'. As part of the support arrangements, it may be identified that specific assistance is required to ensure that any such contact can be managed safely. If necessary, information will be made available to family and friends carers about local contact centres and family mediation services, and how to make use of their services.

Where a child is Looked After, we are required to endeavour to promote contact between the child and his or her family 'unless it is not practicable or consistent with the child's welfare'. The overall objective of the contact arrangements will be included in the child's care plan and the specific arrangements will be set out in the child's placement plan and /or via a post order support plan for those children or young people placed via a Special Guardianship Order or Adoption Order.

10. Family Group Conferences

Family Group Conferences are meetings held between professionals and family members, which aim to achieve the best outcomes for children. They promote the involvement of the wider family to achieve a resolution of difficulties for children in need, and may help to identify short-term and/or permanent solutions for children within the family network.

We will offer a Family Group Conference or other form of family meeting i.e. Network meeting at an early stage. If a child becomes Looked After, perhaps following an emergency, without a Family Group Conference having been held, then where appropriate one will arrange one as soon as possible.

11. Complaints Procedure

Where a family or friends carer is not satisfied with the level of support provided to enable them to care for the child, they have access to the Local Authority's complaints process. Our aim would be to resolve any such dissatisfaction without the need for a formal investigation but where an informal resolution is not possible, a formal investigation will be arranged.

The timescales and process are set out in the Complaints Procedure.