Assessment, preparation and support for family and friends carers
The Family Connections Service provides free guidance, advice and support to Hampshire County Council's Special Guardians. We aim to help with all queries, big or small, and signpost you to other relevant services that may be able to help.
The service offers weekly drop-in sessions: Special Guardians can book onto weekly drop-in sessions to speak to a member of the Family Connections Service for advice and guidance. To request an appointment please email: FCSSGO@hants.gov.uk.
The service runs support groups across Hampshire, these are an opportunity to meet with other Special Guardians and a member of the Family Connections Service for advice, guidance and peer support.
If you are a family and friends carer and need help, or would like to find out more about what family and friends care involves, please contact Hampshire County Council: 0300 555 1384.
Family Connections Service: The team who assess Connected Carers and their single point of contact for guidance, signposting and support.
Connected carers: Prospective and approved carers who have a connection to a child
Connected Foster Carers: Connected carers who are approved Foster Carers
Special Guardians: Those that have a Special Guardianship Order.
Connected care means that children whose parents are unable to look after them on a short or long term basis are cared for by other relatives, like grandparents, uncles or siblings, or by other adults who have a connection to the child, such as neighbours or a close friend of the family.
Most children in connected care are not "looked after" by a local authority, but some are.
Connected care may be a permanent arrangement, sometimes formalised through a legal order, or a temporary and informal one.
Connected care means that children whose parents are unable to look after them on a short or long term basis are cared for by other relatives, like grandparents, uncles or siblings, or by other adults who have a connection to the child, such as neighbours or a close friend of the family.
Most children in connected care are not "looked after" by a local authority, but some are.
Connected care may be a permanent arrangement, sometimes formalised through a legal order, or a temporary and informal one.
Connected care includes children who may be:
Depending on the specific circumstances, connected carers will have different rights, responsibilities and support available to them.
Connected care includes children who may be:
Depending on the specific circumstances, connected carers will have different rights, responsibilities and support available to them.
Connected care gives children:
Because of their existing relationship or connection with the child, connected carers often feel more motivated to manage tricky situations or go through approval or legal procedures in order to provide a consistent, secure and loving home for the child.
Connected care gives children:
Because of their existing relationship or connection with the child, connected carers often feel more motivated to manage tricky situations or go through approval or legal procedures in order to provide a consistent, secure and loving home for the child.
A Special Guardian is usually someone with a close relationship to the child (e.g a family member). They need to apply to the court which will consider their suitability and the child's needs, based on a report from the local authority.
Special Guardianship Order (SGO) is a formal court order which places a child or young person with someone permanently and gives this person parental responsibility for the child. This parental responsibility is still shared with the child's parents, unlike adoption, but Special Guardians have primary parental responsibility whereby they can override the wishes and feelings of parents if they believe it is in the child's best interests.
Who can be a special guardian?
If you are intending to make a private application to become a special guardian, you can notify the Children's Reception Team via this form.
A Special Guardian is usually someone with a close relationship to the child (e.g a family member). They need to apply to the court which will consider their suitability and the child's needs, based on a report from the local authority.
Special Guardianship Order (SGO) is a formal court order which places a child or young person with someone permanently and gives this person parental responsibility for the child. This parental responsibility is still shared with the child's parents, unlike adoption, but Special Guardians have primary parental responsibility whereby they can override the wishes and feelings of parents if they believe it is in the child's best interests.
Who can be a special guardian?
If you are intending to make a private application to become a special guardian, you can notify the Children's Reception Team via this form.