Support for grand-child?

[Macbeth]

Hi All,
Our grand-daughter, now aged 11, has always lived with my wife and myself and we have supported her. However, I've recently lost my job and things are more difficult now. My question is: what financial support, if any, can we get (and from where) for her in addition to child benefit? This child was never formally adopted or fostered. Thanks for any help...

 

[Welfarite]

Are you claiming Jobseeker's payment? If so, you can claim her a Qualified Child Allowance for her as you are already in reciept of CB for her.

 

[Lynda]

Hi,

Can I ask why you never applied to be her foster Carers -The current rate is approximately 1,600 per month, tax free paid from the HSE.

It is obviously in the child's best interest to remain with yous as grandparents (social work department would know this too), but you need to ask What would social work department do if you really could not manage to look after your grandchild because of money.

Speak to them but be clever in your approach.

 

[mathepac]

related thread by same poster - http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=120796

 

[Macbeth]

...Can I ask why you never applied to be her foster Carers?...

Hi Lynda, thanks for the reply. Fostering did occur to us but we weren't sure if we would qualify. I thought fostering was only for children who were in vulnerable home situations and needed to go somewhere safe temporarily. Also, we felt a bit guilty about asking for fostering allowances inasmuch as we took on the child in the first place because our daughter was unable to manage her at the time and certainly not for any financial reasons. As well as that, we didn't really want to get state agencies involved in our family matters but now that the income situation has changed, we may need to reconsider...