Kinship care

ENGLAND

Many children live in kinship care as a private arrangement within families without the knowledge or support of statutory agencies. A small proportion will be supported financially or otherwise by local authorities. In some cases, the child concerned will be looked after by the local authority and their kinship carer will have been assessed and approved as a foster carer. There is no registration or notification system for kinship carers in England. Kinship carers have a range of entitlements depending on their financial circumstances. A range of support may be available to kinship carers but services differ between authorities.

SCOTLAND

In Scotland, kinship care arrangements are mainly the same as in England. Scotland has seen an increase in the number of children in kinship care arrangements living with their grandparents. The Scottish government has been consulting with kinship carer support groups, local authorities and organisations such as The Fostering Network on a fostering and kinship care strategy, which is expected to be published shortly. Kinship carers have a range of entitlements depending on their financial circumstances. Some authorities may give financial support to some non-foster carer kinship carers. Approved foster kinship carers may receive allowances.

WALES

Local authorities approve relative and friend carers who are also called kinship carers and their arrangements for approval and support are inspected by the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales. Local authorities maintain a register of all approved foster carers in their area. All carers should be sent a letter confirming their approval as kinship carers together with a placement agreement and other information. In addition to the normal benefits such as child allowance and tax credits, a local authority may respond to the needs of the child by providing support to relatives and friends acting as carers under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989.

NORTHERN IRELAND

In Northern Ireland, kinship care is when a child who is looked after by a Health & Social Care Trust is placed with family or friends. Kinship carers can apply for a Residence Order in respect of a child they have been looking after for a period of more than three years. When a child is placed with family and friends on an emergency basis, an initial assessment must be carried out within six weeks. When a child moves to a family and friends placement on a planned basis, an assessment is carried out regarding the suitability of the kin to be approved as kinship foster carers. If kinship carers are approved foster carers they are entitled to the same allowances as foster carers.