Kids in Foster Care - advice wanted!

[louise jones]

My step cousin has had her five kids taken off her due to neglect, my cousin (who has no kids and lives at home) offered to look after the kids rather than them being taken into care and have to live with strangers. This was agreed by Social Services as my aunt and uncle (the little ones' grandparents) were there to help. Social worker promised them loads of help when they took the kids on three and half weeks ago. The only help they have given is putting the eldest two into breakfast and after school club so they are out from 8.00-6.00 each school day. The twins (3 yrs) go to a nursery three days a week to a placement that was already set up when they lived with their mum. They have had cast off clothes from the social worker for two eldest girls, nothing for other three kids except what family have given them. They did send a set of bunk beds and a single bed (for FIVE kids). They have received no money at all to help with living expenses, nappies or even baby milk for the 8 month old baby! When the kids go to school/nursery they are meant to get them there and home themselves with no transport. When the kids have supervised visit with their mother they have to take them and pick them up, again with no transport and no money! Is this right? Do they not have any rights to money/help just because they are family? I saw an advert in local paper for foster carers who receive upto �400 per week per child! So does that mean if the kids went into local authority care they would pay up to �2000 per week to carers to look after them and yet expect family members to do it for absolutely nothing?
Sorry its so long, I needed to get this off my chest! and would like some advice x

[stonekicker]

this is not unusual as i tend to find that social services are crap - that's from personal and professional experience. they will do the absolute bare minimum and bleat 'it's not our responsibility' at every given opportunity and try to wheedle out of every bit of duty of care they can get away with. unless you moan constantly, threaten to leave the kids in their reception area etc. (which i agree is not the best thing for the children, by the way!) you will get nowt. so start moaning and don't give in - otherwise they won't pay for a penny of things given time...good luck - you'll need it!

[puddicat]

Sorry they will expect it, welcome to our world!!!

[pinktwink]

she should conact social services requesting to be assessed as foster carers for the children and to receive an allowance. also provide them with a written account of other things you need. Perhaps she can advise social workers she can no longer take the children to supervised visits as she doesn't have the money, that way they will have to come up with a solution .It may be worth seeking legal advise. And stonekicker not all social services are crap. I work in a similar area and am dedicated and committed to my job and the families i work with

[louise jones]

Hi thanks for your answers, my aunt did give social worker a list and was told the only things they could have was beds (they gave three beds for five kids), bedding (they gave her two sets!) and a double buggy which they are STILL waiting for!

[B00]

Whilst i agree that talking to the Social Services again might be a good idea, I can't help but think that maybe your cousin should have looked into the costing of raising this family before they embarked on it?

Don't get me wrong, I admire your cousin for dointg this however expecting handouts for what seems to me almost everything involved in raising them is just a bit...well off, in my opinion.

Do they even need a double buggy for the 3 year olds? Mine was walking everywhere by that age and I'd long since thrown her buggy away.

[redcrx]

the 3 year olds can have 5 sessions at nursery a week paid for by government.
Did they not have beds, buggies clothes etc at their mums home?
As B00, i admire what your cousin is trying to do, but the finances should have been looked at first. What cost is the breakfast and afterschool club? that must be a fair bit that the SS are covering straight off.
Can no-one else within the family help?

[Nosha123]

A responsible adult would consider the cost of bringing up children before perhaps having them themselves - and I can see your intentions are genuine.. and that you feel the kids are better kept with family they know rather than going to strangers.... but 5 kids are gonna cost a lot to bring up! School uniforms, shoes, food, xmas presents etc etc.. unless you have access to several extra thousands of pounds per year - I dont know how you will cope.

I wish you the best - and I do agree.. if SS give money to a foster family then why cant you get the same... but I also agree with Boo to a degree - this should have been looked into before taking the kids on.... if you cannot cope the children have more upset and upheaval moving on to another family who a financially more secure. You ARE going to have to fund the majority of money yourselves.. the SS wont give you all the money you need...

[zzxxee]

is there no way the family could help out maybe have the kids for your cousin weekends to give her a break? where is the dad in all this???????//////

[Connemmara]

my neighbour fosters and gets everything she wants - I mean every single thing - keep on torturing them. I believe it is because you are related to them

[amonty1144]

Get in touch with the benfits maximisation team at the coucil and get them to help your cousin claim for child Benefit, WFTC , rent support etc.
As a kinship carer they may be avaiabe for discretionary payments from the council, it is to become compulsory in some areas of Scotland but is unlikely to reach foster care levels.
Be aware that by being assesd as a foster carer, they may fail and the kids wil be removed.
If your other cousin was in receipt of benefit for them, she'll still be getting it, so instead of moaning to the social,...get the money off her, after all they are her kids.

[mimie]

Hi Louise,
This is NOT how it should be! The Local Authority should be assisting your cousin. There are several things she should do.
1. Apply now - or insist on receiving Kinship care payments - which are not much - but better than nothing!
2. Speak to the childrens social worker and insist that financial help is needed to sustain the placement. If no joy there - go to their manager - then service manager! It would cost a huge amount more to put the children into the Local Authority system!! and is much worse for the outcomes for these children!
3. Make an application to be a "friends and family" foster carer. This would mean they would be assessed as specific carers for the children and if all goes well - they would be paid as foster carers , receive funding for clothing etc. But would be subject to looked after child reviews (6 monthly) to ensure all is going well and if any support is needed. They would also receive visits - usually monthly from social workers.

In addition I would ask for reimbursement for clothing money. And ask for assistance in transporting the children to and from contact. If Social services is supervising contact - then they are sending a worker anyway! There is therefore no reason why the children cannot be transported by the worker.

Ask for a meeting. I would hope that the children have a social worker as they are "children in care" If they have a Looked After Child review make sure your family attend and raise any issues with the Independent Reviewing Officer - who will then make recommendations that the social worker will have to put into place within a certain timeframe.

Unfortunately once children are no longer deemed at risk the wheels can turn very slowly before further assistance is given. Your family need to make some demands and I am sure that they will be forthcoming!!

Hope this helps and good luck