Kinship care policy

All proposed ongoing payments of financial support will need approval of the Kinship Finance and Support Panel.

Decisions made by the Kinship Finance and Support Panel including details of any the proposed payments, along with any conditions Panel feels are appropriate, will be sent to carers within 14 working days of panel meetings taking place. Where it has been agreed to support a Special Guardian or proposed Special Guardian, details of the support will also be set out in the Support Plan, which will include details of:

• the services to be provided
• the objectives and criteria for evaluating success
• time-scales for provision
• procedures for review
• the name of the person nominated to monitor the provision of services in accordance with the plan.

The intention of the above is to ensure all parties are clear what is being provided and why.

Carers who do not agree with Panel outcomes have 28 days to formally respond. Further details of the appeal process are set out in Section 8, however decisions will also be re-established by offers of financial support will typically be reviewed on an annual basis, but if circumstances change, for example if the child leaves home or if the household finances change because the carer has a new job, carers must notify the Council of the change immediately. Failure to promptly notify the Council of any change in circumstances could result in any overpaid allowances being recouped.

As part of the annual review process, carers will be requested to complete new assessment forms in order to determine whether the "need" the allowance is addressing is still in place and whether it is being adequately managed. It is at this point the Council might approach families for receipts or documentation to ensure funds are being used in accordance with any defined conditions.

Payment of the allowance will be suspended or may cease if:

• requested documents aren't returned
• the defined 'need' is no longer deemed to be in place
• changes in your financial situation mean that you no longer meet the criteria for payment of an allowance.

As previously stated, carers are free to request a new Assessment of Need at any point but generally entitlement to any allowance will cease once a child reaches 18 years of age.