Why is this needed?
A key issue which cannot be ignored is the level of resources required to implement the types of Special Guardianship Order (SGO) support services outlined in this blueprint. This is extremely difficult to quantify given wide differences in services between local authorities and regional adoption agencies (RAAs) and the fact that support services to special guardians (SGs) are often part of a wider group of services which also support foster carers or adopters. None of the services in this study were able to say exactly how much the services cost. However, some respondents did identify how many staff were employed in their support services and at what level. Even at this level of breakdown, some services were still only able to identify a staff compliment which delivered a wider support service, some of whose users were SGs.
SGO/Carer perspective
The kinship carers have often had to make significant financial and personal sacrifices to take on the child/ren, and whilst the child/ren is doing well in their care, this can be at the expense of kinship carers’ own health, finances and even relationships. However, they feel this is rarely recognised by children services, public agencies or government. (FRG 2019 p9)
Examples of expenditure and staffing
ASPIRE Adoption deliver a support service to both SGs and Adopters. The team consists of:
1 Team Manager
1 Practice Manager
4 FTE Qualified social workers
5 PT Family Support Practitioners
1 Business Support administrator
Brighton and Hove Family and Friends team delivers support to a range of kinship carers, including SGs, and consists of:
1.6 Pod (Team) Managers
8 FTE Qualified Social Workers
1.5 Non-qualified workers
0.8 FTE Admin workers
Kirklees Connected Persons Support team holds case accountability for SGO support cases as well as Looked After Children who reside with Family & Friends foster carers and consists of:
3 FTE Qualified social workers
3 FTE Family Support workers
Shared admin staff with the LAC team
2 FTE Contact Officers
Bromley Connected Persons & Special Guardianship Team undertakes SGO preparation work, oversees 95 cases that are within 3 years of the SGO, 121 cases which are post 3 years of the SGO, with 125 children who were previously looked after. The service has a team of:
9 qualified social workers
1 Social work assistant
1 FTE Admin worker
1 FTE other staff
Additional considerations
Financial and resource benchmarks are very difficult to set in many areas of social care but SGO and kinship placements are an area ready for a wider economic assessment, both in the cost of delivering and of not delivering support services.
