Special guardianship financial support and assessment.

Cassie Felton made this Freedom of Information request to Wandsworth Borough Council This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

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Dear Wandsworth Borough 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
information as to the method used.

2) What is the maximum payment for a child.

a) Pre school age
b) Primary school age
c) Secondary school age
d) Over 16

3) Is the maximum payment based on recommended core foster care
rates. If not what is the maximum payment based on.

4) Does special guardianship rise each year in line with the
increase in core fostering rates.

5) Is the financial assessment where children were previously LAC
different to the financial assessment for children who were not
LAC.

6) What deductions, if any, are made from Special guardianship
allowance, ie, Child benefit, Child tax credit.

7) If a carer is in receipt of Income support are any deductions
made from Special Guardianship allowance, ie, Child Benefit, Child
tax credit

8) Are Special guardianship allowances time limited. If so how long for.

9) How many special guardians in the authority are currently being financially supported

10) How many Child arrangement orders are currently being financially supported

11) How many friends and family, (connected persons) foster carers are in the authority.

Yours faithfully,

Cassie Felton

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Request for Information - 2019/0927 - Special guardianship financial
support and assessment.

Thank you for your request for information received on 26/03/2019.

This will be processed in accordance with the appropriate access to
information regime.

Regards

FOI and DPA Officer

[email address]

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Request for Information - 2019/0927 - Special guardianship financial
support and assessment

I refer to your request for information received on 26/03/2019. Please
see the information below in response to your request: -

1) Does the council follow the DfE method of assessing Special
guardianship allowance. If not please provide information as to the method
used?

The Council does not follow the DfE method of assessing Special
Guardianship allowances. Instead, Special Guardianship allowances are
assessed as conversions from the Core Fostering Allowance rates paid by
the Council. The Council will deduct Child Benefit and Child Tax Credits
from the core fostering allowance if the carer is eligible to claim these
benefits from DWP and HMRC, respectively.

2) What is the maximum payment for a child:

a) Pre school age?

£200

b) Primary school age?

£200

c) Secondary school age?

£261

d) Over 16?

£261

3) Is the maximum payment based on recommended core foster care rates?

Yes, these are aligned with the core foster care rates of Wandsworth
Council.

4) Does special guardianship rise each year in line with the increase in
core fostering rates?

Yes, the rates increase annually in line with the core fostering rates.

5) Is the financial assessment where children were previously LAC
different to the financial assessment for children who were not LAC?

No, the Council assesses all cases considered for special guardianship in
the same way.

6) What deductions, if any, are made from Special guardianship allowance,
ie, Child benefit, Child tax credit?

The Council applies deductions of Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit from
the allowances if the special guardian is eligible to receive these from
DWP and HMRC, respectively.

7) If a carer is in receipt of Income support are any deductions made from
Special Guardianship allowance, ie, Child Benefit, Child tax credit?

There is no deduction of Income Support from the special guardianship
allowance, however, the Council will deduct Child Benefit and Child Tax
Credits if the carer is eligible for these benefits.

8) Are Special guardianship allowances time limited. If so how long for?

Special Guardianship Allowances are paid until the child(ren) turn 18
years old.

9) How many special guardians in the authority are currently being
financially supported

There are 138 Special Guardians currently being financially supported.

10) How many Child arrangement orders are currently being financially
supported?

There are 5 carers and 6 children currently being financially supported.

11) How many friends and family, (connected persons) foster carers are in
the authority?

There are currently 12 Friends and Family foster carers.

I hope this information meets your needs. If you do not understand the
information provided or wish to discuss anything further, please feel free
to contact me and I, or another member of the team will be able to assist
you.

Please note, all material provided by Wandsworth Council in response to
your request for information is for your personal, non-commercial use.
Wandsworth Council reserves all rights in the copyright of the information
provided. Any unauthorised copying or adaptation of the information
without express written confirmation from Wandsworth Council may
constitute an infringement of copyright. Any intention to re-use this
information commercially may require consent. Please forward any requests
for re-use of information to the FOI officer.

If you are dissatisfied with the information provided in relation to your
request you may make representations to the Chief Executive.
Correspondence should be addressed to:

Room 162, Wandsworth Town Hall, Wandsworth High Street, London, SW18 2PU

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire, SK9 5AF

Regards,

Kaitlin McSwiggan
FOI & DPA Officer
Serving Richmond and Wandsworth Council

020 8871 7202
[1][email address]

[2]www.richmond.gov.uk / [3]www.wandsworth.gov.uk

From: Cassie Felton <[FOI #564442 email]>
Sent: 26 March 2019 15:34
To: Freedom Of Information <[email address]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Special guardianship financial
support and assessment.