Sometimes a child’s parents simply can’t look after them, and a grandparent, relative or foster carer steps in instead. A special guardianship order gives you the legal footing to make the day-to-day and bigger decisions for that child, while preserving their link to their birth family, Our special guardianship order solicitors based in Sale, Manchester and Chester will guide you through the application.
A special guardianship order is a family court order that gives someone other than a child’s parents parental responsibility for that child, usually until they turn 18.
Unlike adoption, it doesn’t end the legal relationship between a child and their birth parents. They keep their own parental responsibility, but yours takes priority, so you can make the day-to-day and bigger decisions without needing their sign-off each time.
How we can help with your special guardianship order
Whether you’re already caring for a child or facing an application as a birth parent, our special guardianship orders based in Manchester, Sale and Chester will explain exactly where you stand and what happens next.
Grandparents and relatives caring for a child
If you’re a grandparent, aunt, uncle or sibling already caring for a child because their parents are unable to look after them, our specialist will help you understand your options and apply for the parental responsibility you need to make decisions on their behalf.
Foster carers seeking permanency
If you’re a long-term foster carer and want a more permanent, secure arrangement than fostering allows, without adopting, special guardianship may be the right route. We’ll talk you through whether it first your circumstances and support the application from start to finish.
Responding to a special guardianship application
If a special guardianship application has been made and you’re a birth parent, we can explain what it means for you and represent your position throughout.
How to apply for a special guardianship order
Every application follows the same basic route, though we’ll adapt our advice to your circumstances.
Getting advice on your options
We’ll talk through your situation, whether special guardianship is the right route, and what to expect from the local authority and the court.
Giving notice to the local authority
You must give three months’ written notice before you can apply, and we’ll make sure this is done correctly from the start.
The local authority’s assessment
The local authority looks into your suitability and prepares a report for the court, covering the child’s welfare and any ongoing contact with their birth family.
Making your application to the court
We’ll prepare and file your application, along with the evidence the court needs to reach its decision.
The court hearing
The court considers the local authority’s report and the child’s welfare before deciding whether to make the order.
Why choose Slater Heelis as your special guardianship order solicitors
Recognised excellence in family law
We’re commended in The Times’ Best Law Firms guide for 2026. The Legal 500 recognises us as one of the leading family law firms in the North West. With over 1,900 reviews and an average rating of 4.9/5 on ReviewSolicitors, our clients trust us enough to recommend us when their friends and family need help.
Over 250 years of excellence
We’ve been providing legal advice to families since 1773. With offices in Manchester, Sale and Chester, we’re rooted in the communities we serve and understand the issues families face. We also advise clients across the UK from offices in London, Liverpool, Leeds, York and Sheffield.
Experiences in sensitive family and children’s cases
Special guardianship often follows a difficult family situation, sometimes with the local authority already involved. Our family team handles these cases regularly, working constructively with everyone involved and keeping the child’s welfare at the centre of every decision, so you get advice that’s realistic and genuinely on your side.
National scale, proven expertise
Slater Heelis is part of Lawfront, a national group of regional law firms. Together, our family law teams total over 100 specialists and hold 8 Legal 500 rankings nationally, including 3 Tier 1.
Call us on 0330 111 3131 or contact us via our online enquiry form to arrange a consultation with our special guardianship solicitors.
Our offices in Manchester, Sale and Chester are open for face-to-face meetings, and we also work with clients across the UK, with meetings at other locations, such as London, Leeds and Liverpool, available by appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions about special guardianship orders
Do I need a special guardianship order if I'm already looking after the child?
If there’s no court order in place, you don’t have parental responsibility, even if the child has lived with you for years. That can cause problems with schools, doctors and passport applications. A special guardianship order gives you the legal authority to match the role you’re already doing.
Who can apply for a special guardianship order?
Most applicants for special guardianship orders are grandparents, other relatives, guardians or foster carers who already have a settled relationship with the child, often having cared for them for a year or more. You can also apply with the court’s permission in other circumstances. We can tell you quickly whether you’re eligible.
How much does a special guardianship order cost?
Whether your application is contested is the single biggest factor in cost as an uncontested case with the local authority’s support is far more straightforward than one a birth parent opposes. We’ll set out clear costs for your specific situation at your first meeting, with nothing hidden.
How long does it take to get a special guardianship order?
You must give the local authority three months’ written notice before you can apply, and the court won’t make an order until it has their report. Beyond that fixed starting point, your local court’s caseload and whether anyone opposes the application shape the overall timeline.
What's the difference between a special guardianship order and adoption?
Adoption ends a birth parent’s legal relationship with their child permanently and gives the child a new legal identity. A special guardianship order keeps that birth family link in place while still giving you the parental responsibility to raise the child day to day.
What's the difference between a special guardianship order and a child arrangements order?
A child arrangements order can give you parental responsibility, but you share it equally with anyone else who already holds it, including the birth parents. A special guardianship order gives you the same responsibility but lets you exercise it ahead of theirs, making it a stronger, more secure option.
Do birth parents lose all their rights under a special guardianship order?
No. Birth parents keep their parental responsibility, and their consent is still needed for certain decisions, such as adoption or a change of surname. What changes is that you can make the day-to-day and most other decisions without needing their agreement each time.
Can I get financial support as a special guardian?
Some special guardians are entitled to a means-tested allowance from their local authority, alongside standard benefits such as child benefit. Each local authority assesses your circumstances and the child’s needs individually, so it’s worth asking your social worker for their family and friends care policy early on.
Can a special guardianship order be changed or ended?
A special guardianship order ends automatically once the child turns 18, in the same way any parent’s responsibility would. Before that, the court can vary or end it early, though a birth parent needs the court’s permission and must show things have changed significantly since the order was made, so orders aren’t overturned lightly.
Contact Us
