Social Security Survivor Benefits?

My daughter passed away in 2006; I have had full custody since 2007 of my two grandchildren. My granddaughter just turned 18 and is a senior in high school. I went to Social Security a few months ago with all the paper work proving she is still in high school and the school filled out papers too. I was told they had everything they need and nothing would change, that the check will continue to be deposited in the same bank account as always until she graduates in May.

Then a few days before her birthday I received a letter from Social Security telling me to send any money left from last check I received and any money I have saved for her, including interest, to their office. They also sent my granddaughter a letter saying she qualified for a child's payment as a student and will send the check directly to her and it will no longer be sent to a financial institution (bank account was in both our names).

I asked my granddaughter if she requested this from SS and she said no way. Could someone else have requested this pretending to be me? I called the SS office the next morning and I was told this is the law in Ohio. That is all the woman kept saying, she is an adult now regardless of where she lives and she is entitled to this money.

I kept asking who made this change and why wasn't I told this when I was at SS providing the paper work? She just kept saying it is the law. I asked why would I send any money saved to SS and she said they would send it to my granddaughter, even though I told her she still lives with me and is in high school. So now I guess her check will come in the mail, instead of direct deposit, and that is scary since our mail gets sent to wrong addresses all the time and we get others' mail all the time.

My granddaughter is a good smart girl and I am not worried about her, but it does give her an opportunity to just blow this money that I need to still support her here in my household, and I plan on helping her through college too. She plans on living here the first year or so when in college. Why would SS put this kind of money in a 18 yr old's hands when they are still in high school and still live with me?

I think every circumstance is different and this is not right when I have their best interest at heart and want them to succeed in life and do everything I can for them and SS gets to decide they are a adult regardless if they are responsible or not. I think SS opened a can of worms that could give my granddaughter second thoughts about her future. And will SS be there for her if she makes the wrong decision? No, I will. But without this money going to me it could change everything about her future. No wonder we have a drug issue with so many young people on drugs if you put this kind of money in their hand before they are ready. I pray that my granddaughter is smart enough to make the right decisions and not let this money go to her head and get her in trouble. Thanks SS, as if my life hasn't been hard enough raising my grandchildren and keeping them on the right track, let's just add another problem to this issue.

Is this correct for Ohio or should I go to SS office again and complain?