Kinship care

Kinship Carers step in, often during an unexpected crisis, to care for a child when their parents are not able to. This may be because the parent has died, is unwell, has gone to prison, is experiencing problems with relationships, drugs and alcohol, or are neglectful or abusive.

Kinship Carers are usually grandparents, aunts or uncles, brothers or sisters, a step-parent, step-brother or step-sister, or someone who isn’t related but knows the child well.

Kinship care is an umbrella term which covers a range of carers; they might also be referred to as Family and Friends, Connected Carers, Kinship Foster Carers, Private Foster Carers or Special Guardians.