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Special Guardians
Becoming a Special GuardianSpecial guardianship order (SGO) Special guardianship orders provide a permanent legal care arrangement for children who cannot be cared for in the long term by their birth parents. It is an alternative to other permanence options such as adoption or long term fostering of a child by
Becoming a Special Guardian
Special guardianship order (SGO)
Special guardianship orders provide a permanent legal care arrangement for children who cannot be cared for in the long term by their birth parents. It is an alternative to other permanence options such as adoption or long term fostering of a child by a local authority. Unlike adoption, special guardianship does not end the legal relationship between the child and their parents who continue to have parental responsibility and will have to be consulted in certain situations. Also unlike adoption, an SGO can be varied or discharged in some circumstances.
Special guardians
A special guardianship order (SGO) appoints one or more people to be a child's Special Guardian. The SGO gives the special guardians parental responsibility for the child and they take on the legal powers and responsibilities of parenting the child until their 18th birthday. This includes taking most decisions concerning the child's upbringing for example where they live, which school they attend and consent for most medical treatment.
Support for special guardians
Oxfordshire have a range of support services available to special guardianship families. The local authority which places the child will be responsible for the support needs of the family for three years after the date on which the SGO is made. After that time, the responsibility falls to the local authority where the special guardian lives.
Support might include:
- Advice about special guardianship for families and professionals.
- Help with contact between a child, his/her parents or relatives.
- Support groups.
- Training programmes and workshops.
- Therapeutic services for the child.
- Financial support for the special guardian.
If you would like to find out more or are ready to begin your adoption journey then we would love to hear from you today.
There are two stages in the process of adoption which we aim to complete within six months - find out more about the adoption journey.
All adopted children are different and over time they will learn to trust you and it will transform their lives – as well as yours!
Children and young people
Therapy, education and groups for children and young people.
Birth relatives
Support, groups and information for birth relatives.
Adults affected by adoption
Information and support for adopted adults and their families.
The Anchor Team
Therapeutic support for families and professionals.
Contact us
The Permanence Support Team administrator will respond as quickly as they can. Please do bear with us; we’re working through the challenges of developing our new service and of managing significant demand, but we will respond. Please leave your full name, the local authority where you live, and your contact details (phone and email if possible), to help us respond to you more effectively.
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Adults Affected by Adoption
Adults Affected by Adoption refers to adopted adults, birth relatives of adopted adults, and descendants of adopted adults. Each group has varying rights to services, some of which Adopt Thames Valley provide directly and some are provided by other agencies.
Find out more
Resources
Free guides and information about adoption support.
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Permanence Support