# settling in allowance



## daisyboo (Apr 5, 2005)

Hello all sorry to but in but just a quick question,
Hopefully fingers and everything crossed we may have a little 1 yr old early days but lo SW loves us and wants to proceed how far in do u ask if they do settling in allowances as i know some LA don't do them or don't tell u about them,
Thanks


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## magenta (Nov 2, 2004)

We asked at matching panel - it was one of our 'questions for the panel' as we reaqlly didn't have any questions about DD by that stage and were asked to come with questions!  it was actually v good becuase we found out we just claimed for full cost recovery of the purchase of all big items as long as you didn't go OTT price wise (something they don't advertise as they coudl spend thousands). however we didn't find out til after panel what was coming with DD so coudln't buy anything til intros.

You could ask at any formal meeting i guess - worth showing you have done your homework about placement.

All the best - can't wait to hear your news and all the details once you go to panel.

Magenta x


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## wynnster (Jun 6, 2003)

We were told from the first meeting with sw's that no allowances will be given    However our LA (difference to placing LA) offered to pay for safety equipment, but only after we had been given everything by friends and family  
Only things we have been paid for are mileage and 1 overnight accomodation during intro's.
I do know someone who received £17k when they were placed though     so worth asking in my opinion


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## Suzie (Jan 22, 2004)

It is a little different for us as when foster carers adopt in our LA we continue to recieve some fostering allowance for a few months until we are able to continue fostering again. 

However I do know that often when the court issues a freeing/placement order they do discuss/arrange an adoption allowance and whether there will be one or not. So it might already be in little ones paperwork about an allowance .

xx


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## keemjay (Jan 19, 2004)

settling in allowance was discussed at one of our planning meetings..it is means tested in our LA but they are open to discussion about it if you can justify it, in our case i did ask for it, in littlies case because of the situation we had found ourselves in ( the placement in the end not able to go ahead) i was out of work so funds were down plus we had blown some of our savings licking our wounds on a holiday..so when suddenly the placement was all on again we were considerably out of pocket, through not much fault of our own. for babybro, he was placed just 8 months after littlie and we needed 2 of a alot of things due to their close age gap..so i managed to wangle some more  money out of them...
its definitely worth asking...

kj x


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## Old Timer (Jan 23, 2005)

We were told on the prep course that our LA give a settling in grant and that we could claim mileage for intros.

Our DS came with next to nothing, no equipment and the clothes/toys were poor quality so we had to spend a lot of money just getting him kitted out right at the start, an extra cost we didn't budget for as we had been told by FC he had loads of everything!

Definately worth asking, maybe say you have heard about these grants and wondered how they did things so you could budget for what you needed to get?

OT x


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## daisyboo (Apr 5, 2005)

Thanks Ladies will defo ask now, oh we were under the impression we didn't have to go to matching panel my god i'll be worrying about that now lol


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## keemjay (Jan 19, 2004)

actually you dont HAVE to go to panel, approval or matching, but its in your interest to go so that you can represent yourselves  
we didnt attend matching panel for babybro but we our reasons and felt our sw could represent us fully, we wrote a detailed report instead and it was all fine 

kj x


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## cindyp (Apr 7, 2003)

We got absolutely nothing for DS apart from one night's accommodation during intros.  We were a bit more clued up second time around and did ask about a settling in allowance and were given £250 towards equipment as well as our mileage.  Not loads of money but enough for us to buy a few bits.n  We didn't ask until after we were linked as we were a bit scared about jeapordising the match.

We attended both our approval panels but were not invited to go to either matching panel.

Best of luck
Cindy


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## ♥JJ1♥ (Feb 11, 2006)

My friend was told she would receive a starter allowance of £500 and then when she was looking at a child in a neighbouring borough her SW said that it was a pity as she was considering out of the Bourogh as she would have reciveed a monthly allowance untill the child left full time ed of about £400 a month if she was matched with any child (not just ones with disabilities or special needs etc) 

L x


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