Kinship care

Kinship carers are family or friends who step up, often during an unexpected crisis, to care for a child when their parents are not able to. They may care for a child with the parents’ permission, even if there is no crisis.

We refer to ‘kinship care’ as an umbrella term for anyone who looks after the child of a family member or friend. It is sometimes referred to as ‘family and friends’ care, while kinship carers are sometimes referred to as ‘connected carers’, ‘kinship foster carers’ or ‘special guardians’. 

Children living in a kinship arrangement may or may not be known to the local authority.

Types of arrangements

There are different types of kinship arrangements that depend on the circumstances where care is needed. 

Informal kinship arrangement

A close relative, or sometimes a more distant relative or friend, looks after a child. Overall responsibility for the child stays with the parents. Usually the local authority does not need to be informed and does not have a major involvement in making the arrangement for the child. There may be no court order in place.

Often called ‘a private family arrangement’.

Private fostering arrangement

Someone who is not a close relative of the child under the age of 16, and looks after the child for 28 days or more. This arrangement is assessed by the local authority but the carer is not approved as a local authority foster carer.

Child arrangements order (CAO)

There may be a ‘lives with’ CAO in place for someone who is a friend or family member but is not the child’s parent. The child lives with the kinship carer named in the order and the carer shares parental responsibility (Family Rights Group website) with the parents. There is no need for an assessment by the local authority.

Special guardianship order (SGO)

A legal order given by the family court appointing a friend or family member as the child’s special guardian.  When you become a special guardian, the child will live with you until they are 18 years old. A special guardianship order gives the special guardian ‘enhanced’ parental responsibility (Family Rights Group website) for the child.

The order restricts the birth parents’ rights but does not permanently end them. For the Court to make a SGO, you will need to be assessed by a social worker. 

Kinship foster carers

Where the child is ‘looked after’ by the local authority, but family and friends are approved as a temporary or long-term foster carers for the child. Carers receive a regular foster care allowance to help support the child, as well as having a social worker for them and the child. 

The child is in the care of children’s services, who share parental responsibility (Family Rights Group website) with the child’s parents. Carers need to be assessed by the local authority and the assessment may be shared with the court.

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