3.2.6 Children in Need - Relative and Carers Allowances

SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER

This chapter should be read in conjunction with the chapter Supporting Children in Need who are Not Living with their Parents Procedure

There is currently a limited range of financial support that can be made available to children and families.

Section 17.6 Payments – these are exceptional payments made within the definition of the Children Act – they are short term or one off specific payments usually made to families caring for their own children at home to prevent those children becoming LAC or to facilitate discharge from LAC. Short term payments are those paid where an assessment has determined that the need is short term (up to 6 weeks).
Ongoing payments would be made as a consequence of an assessment, which determines that the need is medium to long term.

Section 4, Amount of Payment was updated in August 2009 to clarify the maximum amount of payment.

Criteria for Children in Need Relative Allowances
Checks before Care Arrangements with Relatives
Process for Paying Allowances
Amount of Payment

1. Criteria for Children in Need Relative Allowances

Children in Need Relative Allowances may be payable where a child is being cared for by a relative or friend in circumstances where the arrangement relates to a child who is regarded as a Child in Need, who cannot live with his or her parent or a person with Parental Responsibility for a period of at least 6 weeks, the placement has been assisted or initiated by the authority and is supported by the parents.

All payments to relatives and carers are discretionary.

The additional criteria for the payment of a Child in Need Relative Allowance are:

The arrangement prevents the need for the child to be Looked After or will enable a child to leave the Looked After Service.
The arrangement is in the child’s best interests
The arrangement could not proceed without the financial support of the local authority
There is no other more suitable arrangement within the family
The carers are on or have applied for income support or working family tax credit or, in exceptional circumstances, there is in extreme hardship and all the family’s resources are fully committed

The child may come within the definition of a Privately Fostered child, and if so, the Private Fostering Procedure will apply.

The status of the arrangements with the carers should be clear and stated within the Child in Need Plan.

The status of the care arrangement is different from a Looked After Placement with Relatives or Friends, when Placements with Connected Persons (Formerly Regulation 38 Placements with Family and Friends) Procedure must be followed.

Where the carer holds a Residence Order, see Residence Order Allowances Procedure.

2. Checks before Arrangements with Relative Carers

For all arrangements where a relative or friend cares for a Child in Need, the following is a full list of matters to be considered, details of which must be recorded.

Age.
Health.
Personality.
Marital status and particulars of any previous marriages.
Criminal convictions and results of any applications to adopt, child mind, or foster.
Past and present employment, leisure activities and interests.
Previous experience of looking after children, and capacity to care for this child.
Details of children of the household, whether living there or not.
Religious, cultural, racial and linguistic factors.
Details of living standards and accommodation of the household.

Consideration should also be given to the need to undertake Criminal Records Bureau and other standard checks in respect of the proposed carers.

In addition, where Private Fostering arrangements have been made, the procedures set out in the Private Fostering Procedure must be followed by the child’s social worker.

All arrangements to live with friends or family should be planned in advance as far as possible. However, emergency arrangements are sometimes inevitable, and wherever possible, before these occur, the child’s social worker should:

Meet the carers
Visit the accommodation
Obtain information about other persons living in the household
Where it is proposed that a child lives with a relative, checks should be made on ICS as to any departmental knowledge of the carers, which may be relevant to the overall assessment. Any other checks with other agencies and the Police may be required with the carer’s consent if there are indications that this is necessary to ensure the child’s welfare.

Family support services (e.g. social work support, other agency support) should also be used to help and stabilise children who are living with their extended family or with friends, and included in a Child in Need Plan.

3. Process for Paying Allowances

In situations where ongoing payments may be applicable, the case holder or duty worker will prepare a report for the Service Manager, addressing the following criteria:

The extent to which the child is in need as defined by the Act. A brief history of the case should be included. Any relevant case plans, review documents or assessment reports can be appended for additional clarification if necessary. This should include an Initial or Core Assessment.
The proposed plan for supporting the child in the future.
The extent to which the proposed carers are able to meet the needs of the child.
The views of the child and the parents in relation to these proposals.
The extent to which ongoing payments may be required within the proposed plan, including information about the carers financial circumstances.
The extent to which the Social Worker can demonstrate how the proposed plan could prevent the child from being looked after.
The extent to which other forms of financial support have been considered. This should include state benefits, one off or short-term grants by Children's Social Care Services and a statement regarding the parent(s) ability to contribute financially if it is not possible to approach the parent(s) for financial support, the reasons for this must be documented.
Where an Ongoing Payment has been authorised the carer will be asked to sign a written agreement (OPS1). Confirmation of Ongoing payments will be given in writing by the case holder or responsible manager. OPS2 will be used.

Where the proposed carer is not a relative of the child, any arrangements for the child with that carer will need to be assessed and approved under private fostering regulations. The outcome of the assessment must be presented to the Service Manager

Once the completed financial assessment form has been received, it should be sent to the Service Manager for the calculation to be completed and the level determined in accordance with the scales agreed from time to time.

Cases should be reviewed at least on a six monthly basis.

4. Amount of Payment

Ongoing payments will normally be paid at Income Support level and any payments above that must arise from a specific need, for example it is recognised that additional expenditure may be incurred in order to maintain a child/young person’s education, attendance and progress.

Any requests for Ongoing payments above Income Support levels must be quantified or detailed in the Social Worker’s report. Payments cannot be more than the national minimum fostering allowance.

Authorisation for Ongoing Payments rests with the Service Manager. Payments will normally be via Payments and Cash Control.

The Service Manager will make a decision about the application and the amount of money to be paid.

The relevant manager will confirm the amount of the Ongoing Payment in writing to the carers once the financial assessment is complete.