A special guardian is an adult who takes long-term responsibility for raising a child. This is usually until the child is 18. Find out what a special guardian does and what support may be available.
What is a special guardianship order (SGO)?
A special guardianship order (SGO) is a legal order made by a court.
It gives a child a stable, long-term home when their birth parents cannot care for them.
- The child lives with the special guardian
- The guardian takes day-to-day parenting responsibility
- The child keeps a legal link to their birth parents
If a child was in the care of Portsmouth City Council, the care order ends when the SGO is made.
The court will also decide:
- whether the child should stay in contact with their birth parents
- if any other legal orders are needed
What does a special guardian do?
As a special guardian, you are responsible for raising the child until they are 18.
You will:
- decide where the child lives
- choose their school
- make decisions about medical treatment
- support their day-to-day care and wellbeing
You will have parental responsibility (PR). This means you can make most decisions without needing agreement from the child’s parents.
Your SGO document is proof of parental responsibility. You may need to show this, for example, when:
- travelling abroad
- giving consent for medical treatment
When do you need the parents’ consent?
You must get consent from the child’s parents (or permission from the court) for some decisions:
- changing the child’s surname
- taking the child out of the UK for more than 3 months
- placing the child for adoption
If a special guardian dies
A special guardian can appoint someone to care for the child if they die. This helps make sure the child continues to have a stable home.
Contact us
To speak to us about special guardianship or support:
- Call the team on 023 9283 4071
- Email connectedpersonsduty@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.