Research and analysis

Family justice review: special guardianship orders

Research on the effect of the family justice review on the use of special guardianship orders (SGOs).

• From: Department for Education
• Published: 27 August 2015

Applies to England

Documents

Family justice review: special guardianship orders

Ref: ISBN 978-1-78105-501-4, DFE-RR478B

PDF, 374 KB, 38 pages

Details

The report covers:

• the changes to SGOs since the family justice reforms
• the process for making decisions
• the identification and assessment of extended family members
• the support for special guardians
• the courts’ approach to granting SGOs

A special guardianship order is an order appointing one or more individuals to be a child’s ‘special guardian’. It is a private law order made under the Children Act 1989, intended for children who:

• cannot live with their birth parents
• would benefit from a legally secure placement.

Published 27 August 2015