Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of Children and Families which provides information on the review undertaken into current regional policies for Special Guardianship arrangements, including financial support. The report sets out proposals in terms of a revised recommended regional approach towards Special Guardianship Order (SGO) support and also regarding local arrangements specific to the Leeds offer. 

The Director of Children and Families submitted a report providing information on the review undertaken into current regional policies for Special Guardianship arrangements, including financial support, which had been led by One Adoption West Yorkshire. It was noted that the purpose of such work was with the aim of encouraging all Local Authorities within the region to provide a more consistent offer of support to Special Guardianship families. The report presented proposals in terms of a revised recommended regional approach towards Special Guardianship Order (SGO) support and also regarding local arrangements specific to the Leeds offer.

By way of introduction to the report, Members received further information on the SGO process and details of the improved offer that was being proposed in West Yorkshire along with the proposed offer specifically for Leeds. The significant benefits of the proposals were highlighted with Members also receiving information on the financial implications arising.

Members welcomed the proposals within the submitted report and noted that children and young people in SGO care benefitted from the increased permanence and stability that special guardianship arrangements provided. 

Responding to a Member’s enquiry, it was undertaken that clear communications would be delivered around the improved SGO offer for carers and also in relation to the overall benefits of SGO care for children and young people.

The Board discussed the rising cost of external residential placements for children and young people. It was emphasised that action needed to be taken nationally to address this issue and that representations to Government needed to continue. However, the approach being taken in Leeds to mitigate the impact of such matters was acknowledged. Responding to Members’ comments and following the Board’s agreement, the Chief Executive, who is a member of the Children’s Social Care National Implementation Board, undertook to write to the Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing to express Executive Board’s concerns regarding such matters.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the recommendations, as set out within the submitted report, be approved, the first of which are aligned with the recommended regional approach in relation to SGO support, as follows:-

·  Where children have been Looked After immediately prior to the SGO being made, carers will receive non means tested financial support (minus child related benefits) until the child is aged 18 years of age.

·  Where children have not been Looked After immediately prior to the SGO being made, carers will receive means tested financial support.

·  Where children have not been Looked After immediately prior to the SGO being made and carers are already in receipt of a means tested benefit, they will receive non means tested financial support.

(b)  That the recommendations, as set out within the submitted report, regarding local arrangements specific to the Leeds offer for special guardianship orders, be approved. These being:-

·  Where children have been Looked After immediately prior to the SGO being made and remain with their special guardianship carers post 18, they will continue to get post 18 financial support, aligned with the current rates paid to care leavers as part of the councils ‘staying put’ policy.

·  That revised policies and procedures are put in place along with service training to set out the local authority’s special guardianship support arrangements.