A Special Guardianship Order (SGO) is a new legal option intended to provide stability of care for children where adoption is not suitable.

An SGO is particularly appropriate where birth parents, or others with parental responsibility, cannot provide the child with the long-term security of a permanent home but links between them need to be maintained. It will benefit children in long-term foster care or who are cared for by their wider family on a permanent basis. 

Our experienced team can advise you on the availability to you of such an order and, if appropriate, on the process involved in applying for an order, which can only be made by the courts. We can assist you in preparing the necessary application, including representing you in court.

Under an SGO, one or more people may be appointed as a special guardian, with parental responsibility for making day-to-day decisions on all aspects of caring for the child.

People entitled to apply for an SGO include a local authority foster parent with whom the child has lived for at least a year and anyone with whom the child has lived for three out of the last five years.

To find out more about how we can help you, please contact us on 01702 339222 or email family@btmk.co.uk

Alternatively, please telephone Yvonne Hume on 01702 238561.