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What is Kinship Care?

Kinship Care is when close relatives of a child – grandparents, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, or step-parents – come forward to care for that child when he or she is no longer able to live with his or her birth parents.

The families who offer Kinship Care want to ‘keep the family together’. Being in Kinship Care also helps children and young people keep in contact with their wider family. Kinship Carers make a major commitment when offering the child a home for as long as she/he needs it.

Children tell us they prefer to be cared for within their own family when they can’t live with their parents. They feel more secure and feel they ‘belong’.

If relatives do not come forward, then the child would need to come in to the care of the Local Authority. They may then be looked after by foster carers, placed in residential care, or adopted.

Devon County Council is able to support and help Kinship Carers in most situations where the Children and Young People’s Services Department has been involved with the family and the child.

I am a relative, how can I get help?

Relatives include grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters or step-parents to the child concerned. To find out whether Kinship Carers are eligible for help, we need to assess whether the child being cared for needs any services. If so, the Kinship Carers will be offered a Kinship Carers’ Assessment to find out just what help is needed to care for the child.

We have a duty to make sure any child we provide services for is safe and well cared for, so we will discuss with you how you are going to look after the child. We will also ask your permission to carry out all the checks, such as police checks, which we are legally obliged to make when someone is looking after a child not their own.

If you are in financial need because of caring for the child, you can request a Financial Assessment which will determine your eligibility for financial assistance. When all assessments are completed, you, the child’s birth parent(s) and we at Children and Young People’s Services will sign an Agreement which will set out what everyone involved is going to do to make sure the child is well-cared for.

What help is available?

We can provide:-

• A Kinship Care Social Worker to visit you, or keep in touch to give you advice, information and support. Assistance is also given with requesting other services for the child, for example, from Education or from Health services.
• Financial assistance, if you are eligible after completion of a Financial Assessment.
• Opportunities to attend training events and meetings with others who are caring for children.
• Support Groups where you can meet other Kinship Carers.
• Social events, newsletters and information evenings for Kinship Carers.

What if I have worries or concerns?

Having a child come to live in your family, even when you are a relative, is likely to create changes in relationships - and it will take time to adjust. Our Kinship Social Workers will offer advice and support.

Sometimes care arrangements are in danger of breaking down. If this is the situation, you can discuss it with your Kinship Social Worker. A referral may then be needed for a Family Group Conference, in which the family and others who have a significant relationship with the child can come together to make new plans for the child. Your Kinship Social Worker and Children and Young People’s Services would support you and the child throughout this time.

What legal rights would I have for the child?

The child’s birth parent(s) retain legal responsibility for the child, and will be asked to make an agreement with you about how the day-to-day responsibilities for the child are to be carried out, for example dental and medical appointments, and who will attend school meetings etc.

In most Kinship Care arrangements it is important for the child to keep in contact with his/her birth parent(s) and other family members, and we will support Kinship Carers to promote this contact.

Why is Kinship Care encouraged?

In Devon, we have been promoting Kinship Care for many years as one of the ways we support children who cannot live with their birth parents. Our experience is that the commitment from Kinship Carers is something that gives a child great security, with the children feeling loved and comfortable in their own family environment.

This experience has led us to value, promote and support Kinship Care even more, so that children who cannot live with their birth parents are given every opportunity to thrive and be happy.

Useful Links

• Family Rights Group
• Fostering Network
• BAAF
• Facebook - grandparents as parents
• Facebook - kinship legal issues

Find out more

If you would like more information about family and friends as foster carers call 0845 155 1013