4.11.5 Special Guardianship Order Court Report |
This chapter was introduced in August 2009 and is subject to review.
Contents
1. Scope
This chapter was introduced to the Procedures manual in August 2009
Local Authorities are required to prepare a report for the court in all cases when an application is to be made for a Special Guardianship Order. The court may order the Local authority to prepare a report where it is considering making a Special Guardianship Order as an outcome to any proceeding
All applicants for Special Guardianship Orders must give their local authority 3 months notice in writing before they lodge their application with the Court. This report must include information about the child, the child's wishes, the child's birth family, contact arrangements, the prospective special guardian and recommendations about whether or not an order should be made. The local authority is expected to start work on this report as soon as possible after receiving the notice. The court cannot make an order without having received a report.
Relevant forms are available on K drive in K:\Children's Department Shared Area\Forms\Special Guardianship
2. Who may Apply for a Special Guardianship Order
The following may apply for Special Guardianship Order
- Anyone with whom the child has lived for three out of the last five years
- Anyone who has consent of those with Parental responsibility for the child.
- Any person, including the child who has leave of the court to apply
- Anyone who holds a Residence Order with respect to the child or, or who has the consent of all those who hold a Residence Order in respect of the child.
- Any Children's Guardian
- Any person who has the consent of the Local Authority where the child is in the care of the Local Authority.
- A Local Authority foster carer with whom the child has lived for one year immediately preceding the application.
3. Procedure where the Child is not Looked After
Bradford is responsible for preparing court reports when the applicant lives in the Bradford District
3.1 Requests for Information about Special Guardianship
Individuals requesting information about Special Guardianship will be advised to take legal advice. The can also be advised to refer to information produced by other relevant agencies such as the British Agency for Adoption & Fostering.
3.2 Notification and expression of interest
Local authorities must be given 3 months notice of intent to apply for Special Guardianship. Notifications of intent to apply for Special Guardianship must be made in writing. They may be sent to the Local Authority by:
- Applicants or their solicitors- using form (Form SGO1).
- The Court when it is considering a Special Guardianship Order as an outcome to matters already before it.
The Children's Initial Contact Point will pass all notifications to the Area Team Children's Advisor where the child resides.
Where there is current involvement with a young person the relevant Senior Care managers will determine who will prepare the report for the Court. Arrangements will need to be made to ensure that the necessary checks and background information are obtained.
3.3 Initial action upon receipt of notification
The referrer will be contacted to establish whether an application has been made to a Court or whether a Court is considering Special Guardianship as a possible outcome to a private law application. Details of the Court and case number will be obtained and confirmed in writing with the Court.
3.4 Confirmation of intent and initial information gathering visit
This is undertaken by either a Child & Families team or a Youth & Families Team
The purpose of this visit in this is to:
| 1. | Determine that the notification relates to an intended or actual application for a Special Guardianship Order. | |
| 2. | Establish necessary background information for preparation of the court report for which the following information is required:
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The social worker will write to prospective applicants to arrange a visit where all adult members of the applicants' household will be present. A copy of the Special Guardianship- Consents & Basic Information (SGO2) will be sent to the prospective applicants with an information pack prior to the visit.
A home visit will be undertaken. The following tasks will be completed during this visit.
- Clarification that the potential applicants are aware of the meaning of Special Guardianship and its legal implications.
- Advise potential applicants of the requirements of assessment process and confirm their wish to proceed
- The Special Guardianship Consents & Basic Information form (SGO3) will be completed during this visit.
The assessment process may not proceed until all necessary consents are obtained.
The social worker will pass the completed Special Guardianship Consents & Basic Information to the Area administrative team
3.5 Checking Process
This process is managed by the Area administrative staff using Procedures for Special Guardianship Front Sheet for Admin. (SGO4) This process is started before the case is passed to an allocation team for completion of the Assessment and Report to the Court.
Background information will be gathered as follows:
| Task | Process | |
| CRB checks undertaken for all adult members of the applicants household. Paid for by the Local Authority | Area team administrative staff process CRB forms | |
| Medical Reports- applicant. Applicants book medical with GPBAAF Form AH form used. Paid for by applicant | 1. |
Applicants will be given pack during home visit. This contains:
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| 2. | Applicants book medical with GP & advise Area team administrative staff of date | |
| 3. | Medical with GP | |
| 4. | GP send completed medical from to Medical Advisor | |
| 5. | Medical Advisor completes medical from and returns to Area administrative staff | |
| Medical Reports- child. BAAF Form C used. | 1. | Consent- This must be obtained before a medical can take place. The onus is on the applicant to obtain written consent from a person with Parental Responsibility. The applicant will be given:
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| 2. | Area administrative staff contact Paediatrician (SGO12) in writing to request medical. | |
| 3. | The LACT book the medical with a paediatrician and confirm arrangements with Area team administration. | |
| 4. | Area team administration:
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| 5. | Medical-
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| 6. | Medical Advisor complete summary to form C and returns to Area team Admin. | |
| Agency checks on all members of the applicants household | Process undertaken by Area administrative staff (SGO5) | |
| Personal references | Request for references letter sent by Area administrative staff. (SGO11) Enclose DfFES leaflet re Special Guardianship | |
3.6 Special Guardianship Support
See Special Guardian Support Services Part 2 Children Who Were "Not Looked After When the Special Guardianship Order was made"The Local Authority may complete an assessment of Special Guardianship Support Needs (See Special Guardianship Support Procedure) if requested by the prospective Special Guardian, child, parent or any other person the local authority considers appropriate or if the social worker considers the child to be a Child in Need. This assessment will be undertaken using the Combined Initial and Core Assessment format. There may be circumstances when Special Guardianship and Adoption Support Team of the Adoption and Fostering Unit is consulted about issues raised during the assessment.
Where the child is identified as being a Child in Need a Child in Need Plan will be prepared. See Child in Need Plans and Reviews Procedure
Special Guardians are expected to support children from their own resources including state benefits, however, as with any child assessed as being 'in need', consideration may be given as to whether there are exceptional circumstances that may require further financial assistance. See Financial Assistance to Children in Need Procedure
3.7 Assessment and Preparation of the report to the Court
The report will be completed using the Report to the Court Regarding Special Guardianship Order Application (see form on K Drive). This report will provides and analysis of the circumstances of the application and makes a recommendation as to whether a Special Guardianship or any other Order should be made. See Court Reports Guidance, Section 3 - Special Guardianship - Matters to be dealt with in Report for the Court
Local authorities are expected to ensure that the social worker who prepares the report is suitably qualified and experienced.
In order to complete this report the social worker will:
- Seek the views of the child's parents and any other persons with Parental Responsibility. This includes unmarried fathers, whether or not they have Parental Responsibility. It is expected that individuals will be seen in person and all reasonable steps will be taken to locate parents.
- Interview the applicants
- Interview the child and seek their views about the proposed Special Guardianship Order in a manner appropriate to the child's development.
- Interview all members of the applicant's household.
- Seek the views of the child's relatives or other significant persons to the child.
- Consult and seek the views of any other relevant agencies who have been involved with the child, the applicants, members of the applicants' family, the child's parents or significant relatives of the child.
- Inspect the property including sleeping arrangements for its suitability to meet the child(ren)'s needs.
3.8 Lodging the Report
Sufficient copies for all the parties and the Court of the completed report will be lodged with the Court in accordance with any instructions issues by the court
As the social worker who prepared the report is acting as an "officer of the court" there is no requirement to give copies of the report to either the applicant or the respondents. It is however good practice to advise parties to the proceedings and relevant others of the report recommendations.
3.9 The Social Worker at Court
The social worker is not a party to the proceedings and has the status of a witness. Therefore they do not need legal representation. There may however be instances where they may wish to take legal advice either during the preparation of the report or prior to attending the court.
3.10 Suspension of Report Preparation and Incomplete Reports
The social worker will consult their line manager if they consider that applicants are unreasonably withholding information and/or fail to consent to the social worker obtaining information necessary for the completion of the report. In such circumstances the Senior Care Manager may make the decision to suspend the report preparation and notify in the applicants in writing of this decision.
If an application has already been lodged with the Court the Social Worker would submit a report to the Court explaining the reasons why an incomplete report has been submitted.
4. Applications for Special Guardianship Orders Involving Children who are Looked After
| a. | Requests for Information about Special Guardianship |
| b. | Notification and expression of interest |
| c. | Checking ProcessSee Assessment of Foster Carers or others who wish to Acquire Parental Responsibility Procedure The following checks be required both for the Fostering Panel that considers Special Guardianship as a permanence option as well as for the court report.
In addition the two independent referees will be interviewed for the court report |
| d. | Special Guardianship SupportSpecial Guardian Support Procedure - Section 6, Process Assessment for Special Guardianship Support before an Order is made |
| e. | Assessment and Preparation of the report to the CourtThe format of the report to the court will depend upon information currently available to the court.
The report will be completed using the Report to the Court Regarding Special Guardianship Order Application (see form on K Drive). This report will provides and analysis of the circumstances of the application and makes a recommendation as to whether a Special Guardianship or any other Order should be made. See Court Reports Guidance, Section 3 - Special Guardianship - Matters to be dealt with in Report for the Court |
| f. | Lodging the ReportSufficient copies for all the parties and the Court of the completed report will be lodged with the Court in accordance with any instructions issues by the court Legal advice will be sought as to who is provided with copies of the court. |
| g. | The Social Worker at CourtThe social worker will require legal representation as may the applicant. See Court Reports Guidance, Section 3 - Special Guardianship - Matters to be dealt with in Report for the Court |
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