Care and support

Special guardianship

Special guardianship was introduced in December 2005. It provides greater security for the child than long-term fostering offers, without the absolute legal severance from the birth family that stems from an adoption order. CSF cannot place a child for special guardianship. However, they can encourage existing foster carers to apply for a special guardianship order. Financial support can then be given at the discretion of CSF as a single payment to meet a one-off cost, or payments in instalments or at periodic intervals.

Because a child subject to special guardianship is no longer ‘looked after’ the carer can claim benefits such as child benefit and child tax credit for the child, as well as including them in housing and council tax benefit claims. Any financial help given by CSF to special guardians is disregarded when assessing the carer’s entitlement to tax credit, but is taken into account when housing and council tax benefit are calculated (up to the level of benefit allowed for that child). The same rule applies if the carer is on income support and that benefit includes an amount for children.

However CSF take into account any benefits or tax credits that are claimed when making their assessment of how much additional financial support to give.