Manchester Children’s Services have a dedicated service to support families with a Special Guardianship Order (SGO). An SGO is a legal order which places a child or children in your care when they are unable to live with a birth parent. If this applies to you and you live in Manchester (or you live in a different area but Manchester supported you to apply for an SGO within the last three years), you are eligible for support from us.
We offer:
- Advice and Guidance on issues relating to the child(ren) in your care and Special Guardianship
You can contact our Duty Advice Line on 0161 219 6476, Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, or email: specialguardianship@manchester.gov.uk
- Access to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) for Therapeutic Support Services
The ASGSF provides therapeutic services to SGO carers and children and young people up to the age of 21 – or 25 where they have had an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) – following completion of an assessment of need. This applies only to children who have a Special Guardianship Order and were previously looked after by a Local Authority. Contact us to check if your child meets the eligibility criteria or to request an assessment of need.
- Manchester currently fund FosterTalk SGO Membership for all Special Guardians
Please provide consent to share your details with FosterTalk by requesting and returning a consent form from us and then visit the FosterTalk website or call them on 0121 758 5013 to find out more.
- Foster carer training
Special guardians currently have access to all of the local authority’s foster carer training, although priority is given to foster carers for any over-subscribed courses. Please contact us for details of the latest foster carer training brochure.
- Special Guardian Tea and Coffee Morning/Support groups four times per year
If this is something you are interested in, please email specialguardianship@manchester.gov.uk to be added to the email mailing list and receive invites and further details.
- Information Distribution via our email mailing list
Information relating to special guardians and their families, e.g. tea and coffee mornings, is sent direct to your email if you request to be added to our email mailing list.
Special Guardian support is an ‘opt in’ service.
You can request services via our telephone advice line 0161 219 6476 or email specialguardianship@manchester.gov.uk