The special guardianship regulations 2005 form part of the legislative framework for special guardianship orders and apply to England only. They relate mainly to the special guardianship support services which local authorities are required to provide.
The regulations set out the following:
- the circumstances in which financial support is payable and the considerations that a local authority must have regard to when deciding on the amount of that financial support
- the procedure for an assessment of special guardianship support needs, those entitled to an assessment and how those assessments should be carried out and the steps a local authority must take following assessment to notify persons affected of the outcome of their assessment, and in relation to planning and review of service provision where appropriate
- matters that local authorities are required to include in the report that the court must receive before it can make a special guardianship order
- specify which local authority is to be the relevant local authority where the child becomes entitled to advice and assistance under the provisions relating to care leavers.
