Kinship Carers

Older lady and young boy

What is a Kinship Carer?

Kinship carers are relatives (grandparents, siblings, Aunts, Uncles or other relatives) or even sometimes just friends of the family, who provide full-time (either temporary or permanent) caring support for a child or children of parents who are unable to provide care and support. These children and young people are known as kinship kids. Almost half of kinship kids have a disability or emotional difficulty. 

There are a number of ways in which children can live with people other than their parents. There are also many different reasons why a child may be raised or living with a kinship carer. This could be because of parental death, imprisonment, mental illness, substance misuse and separation of parents. Kinship care often happens following a crisis situation. It can be extremely stressful for both the kinship carer(s) and the kinship kid(s).

Kinship Care is an arrangement for a relative or close friend to provide care for a child. This may be an informal arrangement (for example, placed there by the child’s parents without the involvement of the local authority) or a formal arrangement (for example, placed there by the local authority and where a Legal Order has been obtained). When arrangements have been formalised by the court, the kinship carer then has parental responsibility. 

The majority of kinship carers are relatives of the child or who have parental responsibility for the child through a Court Order. Many of these arrangements have been undertaken without the involvement of the local authority. Families might need advice and assistance during the early stages of considering whether to care for a relative or a friend’s child.

Advice is available from Kinship, Middlesbrough Multi-Agency Children's Hub (MACH) or Redcar & Cleveland Multi-Agency Children's Hub (MACH). MACH is the first point of contact for Early Help and kinship carers will be offered support, advice, signposting and information. Kinship carers experience some of the most difficult challenges. MACH sits within the South Tees Safeguarding Children's Partnership.

They can often be in poor health due to the stress, anxiety and issues that have led to them becoming a kinship carer. Many kinship carers are aged over 50 and may already be in a caring role, such as looking after an elderly relative. They then take on the responsibility of looking after kinship kids and juggle a dual caring role. Benefits for kinship carers are totally different from Foster Carers. Kinship carers are able to claim for Child Benefit and Child Tax Credits but may not receive any other financial support. Not all kinship carers are able to access additional welfare benefits. For most kinship carers this can lead to extreme financial hardship and poverty. They may face housing issues such as too small a dwelling due to kinship kids living with them.

They often have very limited access to information, advice or advocacy. Above all, they need to know where and who to go to for help including finding out what they may be entitled to claim (for themselves and their kinship kids). Children and young people change over the years. MACH can provide the right support at the right time to help kinship kids and kinship carers get the most out of family life.

However, it is not all bad! Kinship carers often say the rewards are enormous and would not have made a different choice if asked again to take on this difficult and challenging role.

Kinship case study

We have pulled some frequently asked questions by kinship carers that you may find useful. 

Useful contacts
Removing the jargon from kinship care- we have compiled a useful glossary to help you navigate through some of the legal terminology used.

Kinship Compass

Kinship Compass banner

Kinship is the leading kinship care charity in England and Wales. Kinship Compass is here to help all kinship carers to get expert advice and information.  And to support them to access emotional support through peer support groups and connecting with other kinship carers. 

Peer Support

Hand reaching out

Charwood Kinship Carers

This group is a way of getting in touch with other Kinship Carers for free, safe and confidential support. Charwood Kinship Carers is a community organisation based in Middlesbrough. Please do not hesitate to get in touch for further information or for further support. The group was set up by local kinship carers Frank and Elizabeth Stanton and is now led by Gary Hamilton. Want to know more or looking for some peer support advice? Visit the Facebook group- Charwood Kinship Carers or send an email to: kinshipcare@hotmail.com

Kinship Cares Peer Support at Grove Hill

There is another group of kinship families who meet at Grove Hill Community Hub on Tuesdays from 10:30- 12 noon. The group is a well-established active group that welcomes new kinship carers and their families to come together and meet others in similar situations. The group help each other with practical things such as clothes and toy swaps and also plays bingo and tombola as well offering peer support.

Redcar Peer Support Group

The group meet every fortnight on a Friday 10am at 25K Youth & Community Centre, Ayton Drive, Redcar. The group is completely informal and very welcoming, and always has a support worker in attendance.

Find help and support across the South Tees area banner

Related content

This project is hosted by MVDA on behalf of the South Tees Carers Forum