Understand
Grandparents given just 10 minutes to decide on caring for disabled granddaughter
Overview
Alan and Julie, grandparents from Leeds, share their experience of becoming kinship carers for their disabled granddaughter, Ella. Social services gave them only 10 minutes to decide whether to take her in as a baby or have her placed in local authority care. Ella, now nine years old, was born with Charge Syndrome and requires 24-hour care. Despite facing significant life changes, including Alan suffering a heart attack, giving up their business, and moving house, the couple state that taking Ella in is the best decision they have ever made.
Key points
- Alan and Julie were given approximately 10 minutes by social services to decide whether to care for their baby granddaughter, Ella.
- Ella has severe learning and physical disabilities due to Charge Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder.
- Taking on Ella's care required Alan and Julie to give up their property maintenance business and move from Bradford to Leeds.
- Unlike foster carers, kinship carers often receive no paid leave, financial assistance, or automatic social worker support.
- According to the charity Kinship, seven out of 10 kinship carers report having no time to prepare, and four out of 10 have less than an hour to decide.
- Alan and Julie now hold a Special Guardianship Order, giving them parental responsibility until Ella turns 18.