Needs of kinship children and carers being ‘overlooked and ignored’

A new report finds that the needs of children in kinship care are overlooked and ignored, while the people caring for them receive little support and are forced to use food banks.

The research, by charity Kinship, says children being raised by relatives or family friends because their parents are unable to care for them are being denied access to the support they need to heal from early childhood trauma.

There are more than 141,000 children living in kinship care in England and Wales – three times the number living with unrelated foster carers.  

The survey of more than 1600 kinship carers found that almost half (48%) of kinship carers felt the child in their care’s adverse experiences, such as separation from parents, abuse, neglect or bereavement, had negatively impacted on their ability to cope in education. This includes struggling to manage their emotions, adapt to the school environment and perform well in exams. 

The report found that whilst children in kinship care have usually experienced similar trauma, adversity and loss to children living in foster and residential care, only 4 in 10 (43%) kinship carers said their children had ever accessed any emotional or therapeutic support.  

Half (51%) of kinship carers said their children currently had mental health difficulties. According to the report, the early childhood trauma many children carry with them into kinship care is often compounded by ongoing, complex, family relationships. This can include contact with their parents, which, unlike foster carers, kinship families usually receive no support to manage.  

The new research also shows that children in kinship care in England have a much higher rate of suspected special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) than their peers (47%, compared to 17% in the wider population). Despite this, far fewer children in kinship care in England (15%) have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan than other children supported by the local authority, such as those looked after in care for more than 12 months (30%) or identified as children in need (28%). The data shows that the growing crisis in SEND support is likely to be disproportionately impacting children in kinship care. 

Speaking to the BBC, Rose – not her real name – said her income stopped “overnight” when she became a kinship carer for her granddaughter, giving up her role as a foster carer to take custody.

“We were in a position where, when our church that we went to had finished with the foodbank stuff they used to get delivered for their cafe, when they'd finished with that food, we used to take the week-old foodbank food home and use it,” she said.

Dr Lucy Peake, CEO of the charity Kinship said it was “inexcusable” that successive governments have failed to provide support for children in kinship care.

“There are kinship children in every school playground who have been through trauma, such as abuse, neglect, separation and loss, but whose needs are being overlooked and ignored. Children in kinship care are being denied the support they need to be healthy and happy, to learn well at school and to thrive. 

“The previous UK Government’s National Kinship Care Strategy for England (December 2023) completely failed to address the lack of support for kinship children’s mental health needs, educational needs and family relationships. But all this can and must change. 

“This year, there is huge potential for the new Labour Government to rewrite the future for thousands of children in kinship care. If it is serious in its mission to break down barriers to opportunity so that all children can reach their potential, then it must not forget about children in kinship care. This Government must take immediate, bold steps to improve support for them.

“In Wales, the new First Minister must harness the opportunity provided by a renewed national focus on the experiences of children and the wellbeing of future generations, to improve support for children in kinship care.”