ADVICE plz? on income support and fostering in uk

There is a UK social work NG.

You might find more success there.

Also try asking the UK family oriented sites.

Heck, we have enough problems dealing with illegalities endemic in CPS United
States law; British common law is beyong our reach.

Lai asked the foster group and none of the *kind* folks responded. Charitable
to the core, this group is.

Subject: ADVICE plz? on income support and fostering in uk
From: "Lai"
Date: 8/13/2003 10:49 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Message-id:

Sorry if this is a repost, I tried to send this to the news server yesterday
at about 9pm, as of 3.47am today it still hasnt shown up, have checked
google groups and cant see it.

Hello,
I am a single parent on income support, recently I was assessed by
social services to care for my x's sisters baby due 1st sept 2003. I was
accepted as a carer for the baby and yesterday found out it will be a long
term placement within the extended family... thats what the official term
used for my position, I will be its foster parent /gaurdian.

I was also told yesterday that the law has now changed regarding this kind
of placement within families and fostering, that the person caring for the
child has the same rights and financial rights as a foster carer, this is
where my questions are centered around.

Usually when u have a child and you are on benifit you inform the dss, they
sort out everything and ajustments are made same applies with child benefit,
but where do I stand?... if I am to be given the allowance to raise the
child by social sevices the same as a foster parent?? can I get milk tokens
or the maternaty grant from the dss?? what changes will happen because of
recieving the allowance to care for the child, what affect does it have on
income support? is it counted or not?

I have searched the web and really cant find out too much about this, have
also spoken to the social worker who assesed me about this but it is her
first such case like this and she knows no more than I do, she has however
said she will try and find out for me... what happens now??

TIA
Lai.