Special guardianship financial support and assessment.
Dear Stockton on Tees Council,
Can you please provide me with the following information regarding
Special guardianship financial support and assessment.
1) Does the council follow the DfE method
of assessing Special guardianship allowance. If not please provide
infomation as to the method used.
2) If the council do follow the DfE method are financial assessments passed directly to Finance department straighaway or do they have to be approved by a social worker first.
3) What is the maximum payment for a child.
a) Pre school age
b) Primary school age
c) Secondary school age
d) Over 16
4) Is the maximum payment based on recommended core foster care
rates. If not what is the maximum payment based on.
5) Does special guardianship rise each year in line with the
increase in core fostering rates.
6) Is the financial assessment where children were previously LAC
different to the financial assessment for children who were not
LAC.
7) What deducations, if any, are made from Special guardianship
allowance, ie, Child benefit, Child tax credit.
8) If a carer is in receipt of Income support are any deductions
made from Special Guardianship allowance, ie, Child Benefit, Child
tax credit
9) Are Special guardianship allowances time limited. If so how long for.
Yours faithfully,
Cassie Felton
_
Dear Cassie Felton
Freedom of Information Act 2000 / Environmental Information Regulations
2004 – Ref: 2873/1819
Thank you for your correspondence received on 18 June 2018
Your request is being considered under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (whichever is most
appropriate). You will receive the information requested within the
statutory timescale of 20 working days.
However, please note the Acts define a number of exemptions that may
prevent release of the requested information. There will therefore be an
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information requested. If the information cannot be released, or only
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consulted before deciding whether it can be released.
Yours sincerely,
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
Municipal Buildings, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1LD
(01642) 527455
[1][email address]
[2]www.stockton.gov.uk
[3]CSE Logo small
Dear Cassie Felton
Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Ref: 2873/1819
Thank you for your correspondence received on 18 June 2018. In response
to your request I can now provide the following information.
Q1) Does the council follow the DfE method of assessing Special
guardianship allowance. If not please provide information as to the method
used.
A1) We follow the 2005 DfE recommended model in assessing whether a
Special Guardian or proposed Special Guardian should receive financial
support. This is incorporated into a wider assessment of need. Following
the means test and assessment, those who come out with a negative
disposable income are likely to receive an allowance, however if they come
out with a disposable income, then the wider assessment will highlight any
extenuating circumstances that require financial support.
Q2) If the council do follow the DfE method are financial assessments
passed directly to Finance department straightaway or do they have to be
approved by a social worker first.
A2) The social worker would complete the assessment and would either
themselves, or with support from a finance officer, complete the means
test. Either way, the finance officer would always be involved at some
point.
Q3) What is the maximum payment for a child.
a) Pre school age
b) Primary school age
c) Secondary school age
d) Over 16
A3) Payments are in line with the age-related fostering rates.
a) £140.33 (age 0-4)
b) £159.85 (age 5-10)
c) £199.00 (age 11-15)
d) £242.08 (age 16+)
Q4) Is the maximum payment based on recommended core foster care rates. If
not what is the maximum payment based on.
A4) Yes, as stated in A3.
Q5) Does special guardianship rise each year in line with the increase in
core fostering rates.
A5) There would only be a rise if there was a rise in the fostering rates.
Q6) Is the financial assessment where children were previously LAC
different to the financial assessment for children who were not LAC.
A6) No
Q7) What deducations, if any, are made from Special guardianship
allowance, ie, Child benefit, Child tax credit.
A7) Child benefit and child tax credit
Q8) If a carer is in receipt of Income support are any deductions made
from Special Guardianship allowance, ie, Child Benefit, Child tax credit
A8) Yes, as stated in A7.
Q9) Are Special guardianship allowances time limited. If so how long for.
A9) They can be time-limited, but this would be determined by individual
cases and circumstances.
If you have any queries or concerns please contact me in the first
instance.
However, if you are unhappy with the way your request for information has
been handled, you can submit a complaint to
[1][email address]
If, after your complaint has been determined, you remain dissatisfied with
the handling of your request or complaint, you have a right to appeal to
the Information Commissioner at:
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. Telephone: 0303 123 1113 Website:
www.ico.org.uk.
The ICO does not make a charge for an appeal.
Yours sincerely,
Rebecca Horsman
Information Governance Team
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
Municipal Buildings, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1LD
(01642) 527455
[2][email address]
[3]www.stockton.gov.uk
[4]CSE LOGO NEW
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