What is kinship care?
Kinship care is when a child is looked after by their extended family or close friends, if they cannot remain with their birth parents.
A kinship carer(s) can be a grandparent, older sibling, aunt, uncle, as well as family friends and neighbours.
There are different types of kinship care, children may be:
- living in an informal arrangement made by their parents
- 'looked after' by the local authority and placed with kinship foster carers
Kinship carers provide a secure, stable and nurturing home for children and young people and are providing a valuable service.