Family Law

The Department for Education (DfE) is seeking views about the use of special guardianship orders (SGOs).

Special guardianship was introduced in 2005 as an alternative legal status providing permanence for children when they are unable to remain with their parents until they are 18 years old. These included mainly older children who had become separated from their birth family; children already settled with a relative or foster carer; and groups such as unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, minority ethnic groups who have cultural difficulties with adoption and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children who may need a secure legal basis without breaking the strong attachment they may have with their family abroad.

The DfE is inviting local authorities, children and young people, special guardians, social workers, birth families, the judiciary, lawyers and special interest groups to submit their views on:

• how the use of special guardianship has changed since its introduction in 2005;
• the assessment process;
• the advice and support for special guardians; and
• examples of best practice.

Click here to view the consultation document.

Respond

Please return your completed Response Form to SpecialGuardianship.REVIEW@education.gsi.gov.uk by 18 September 2015.

Enquiries

For enquiries regarding the policy content of the consultation, please contact:
Patrick Towgood on 0207 783 8149 or Neil Comport on 0207 783 8037.

The response

The results of the consultation and the DfE's response will be released in winter 2015.