Become a special guardian
After you apply
Within 10 days of receiving your application the court will send you a case number and a date for a meeting to set out:
- a timetable for your case
- how it will be dealt with
This meeting is called a ‘first directions hearing’.
You must go to all hearings you’re told to unless the court excuses you. If you’re not able to go, contact the court office.
Contact people in the child’s life
You must send the date and location of the hearing along with copies of your application to everyone with parental responsibility for the child.
If there is a current care order about the child, you should also send details of the hearing and copies of your application to:
- everyone you believe had parental responsibility before the current court-made care order
- the court-appointed Cafcass children’s guardian
You must also tell the following people and organisations that you’ve applied:
- the children’s services department of your local council or the council local to where the child is staying, if that is different
- everyone who cares for the child
- the home where the child stays if it is a registered children’s home or a voluntary home and it is a refuge
- everyone the child has lived with for at least 3 years before you made the application
- anyone else named in a current court order
- anyone involved in any other ongoing proceedings that might be affected by your application
The final hearing
The court will decide if a special guardianship order is in the best interests of the child after looking at all the evidence, and in some cases, hearing from witnesses.
If the court agrees, they will send the final order to you and the other people involved in the case, including the birth parents.
Financial help for special guardians
You might be able to get a special guardian allowance from the children’s services department of your local council.