Special Guardianship Order Notice Letter Template: What to Write to Your Local Authority

For an application under Section 14A(3) or (6)(a) of the Children Act 1989, Section 14A(7) requires you to give the relevant local authority written notice at least three months before applying. There is a narrow exception when the court gives leave for a competing SGO application after an adoption application has been made. Without the required notice, you cannot make the usual private application.

Getting this letter right matters. A vague or misdirected notice can delay your entire application by months.

What the Notice Letter Must Include

There is no official prescribed form or fixed statutory list of details for the notice — it is a letter you write yourself. Include the following so the local authority can identify you, the child, and the proposed application:

• Your full legal name and address (the prospective applicant, or both names if applying jointly)
• Your relationship to the child (grandparent, aunt, uncle, older sibling, family friend, etc.)
• The child's full name and date of birth
• The child's current address (if different from yours, state where the child is living and with whom)
• A clear statement of intention: "I intend to apply for a Special Guardianship Order under Section 14A of the Children Act 1989 in respect of [child's name]"
• The date of the letter

If you are applying jointly with a partner, both applicants should be named and both should sign the letter.

A Skeleton You Can Adapt

You can structure the letter along these lines:

[Your full name] [Your address] [Date]

Director of Children's Services [Name of Local Authority] [Council address]

Dear Sir/Madam,

Notice of Intention to Apply for a Special Guardianship Order — [Child's full name, DOB]

I am writing to give formal notice under Section 14A(7) of the Children Act 1989 of my intention to apply under Section 14A(3) or (6)(a) for a Special Guardianship Order in respect of [child's full name], born [date of birth].

I am [child's name]'s [relationship — e.g. maternal grandmother]. [Child's name] has been living with me at the above address since [date], following [brief, neutral explanation — e.g. "their mother's illness" or "a family arrangement"].

My full details are as follows:

• Full name: [your name]
• Date of birth: [your DOB]
• Address: [your address]
• Relationship to the child: [relationship]

[If a joint application: "I am applying jointly with [partner's full name], who also resides at the above address."]

I understand that following this notice, the local authority is required to investigate the matter and prepare a report for the court under Section 14A(8) of the Children Act 1989.

Please acknowledge receipt of this notice in writing. I can be contacted at the above address or by telephone on [number] or by email at [email].

Yours faithfully, [Signature] [Printed name]

Keep the tone factual and neutral. Do not include accusations about the birth parents, detailed family history or emotional appeals — that information belongs in the court application and the social worker's assessment, not in the notice letter.

Who Receives the Letter

The answer depends on the child's legal status:

• If the child is looked after by a local authority (under a care order or Section 20 voluntary accommodation): send the notice to the local authority that is looking after the child.
• If the child is not looked after (living with you informally or under a private arrangement): send the notice to the local authority in whose area you are ordinarily resident.

Address the letter to the Director of Children's Services by name if possible — the council's website will list them. This ensures the letter reaches the right department rather than sitting in a general mailbox.

How to Send It

Send the letter by Royal Mail Signed For (recorded delivery) so you have proof of the date it was received. Keep the posting receipt and the online delivery confirmation.

Alternatively, hand-deliver the letter to the council's children's services reception and ask for a dated, signed receipt on your copy.

You need this proof because the three-month clock starts from the date the council receives the letter, not the date you post it. When you file your court application, you will need to show the court that notice was given at least three months earlier.

What Happens After You Send It

Once the local authority receives your notice, it is under a statutory duty to investigate and prepare a report for the court under Section 14A(8). Form C13A is your supporting statement for the court application; it is not the local authority's assessment report. In practice, a social worker will be assigned to your case. They will arrange home visits, background checks and interviews as part of the assessment.

The three-month notice period is the minimum waiting time before you can file your court application. Use this period productively: gather your documents, prepare for the assessment, and — if you qualify — apply for fee remission using Form EX160.

The Full Process, Step by Step

The notice letter is the first formal step in a longer journey. Our Special Guardianship Orders in England guide includes a ready-to-use notice letter template, a council notice tracker worksheet, and the complete timeline from notice through assessment to the court hearing — everything you need to stay organised without paying a solicitor for basic process questions.

See more England guides →