What is Kinship Care?
Kinship Care is when a child is looked after by a friend or family member who is not their parent. This could be for a short time or a long time.
What are the different types of Kinship Care?
There are several different types of kinship care, which include:Â
Informal arrangements
When a relative or friend cares for the child without the local authority arranging it and without a court order. This also includes a child under 16 staying with someone who isn’t a close relative for less than 28 days, or a 16 or 17-year-old living with someone who isn’t a close relative.
Private fostering
When someone who is not a close relative cares for a child under 16 for 28 days or more.
Child arrangements order
When a court says the child should live with a friend or family member (who isn’t a parent).
Special Guardianship order
When a friend or family member becomes the child’s Special Guardian through a court order.
Kinship foster care
When a child is looked after by the local authority and lives with a friend or family member who has been approved as a foster carer.
Adoption
When a friend or family member adopts the child.
Who can be a kinship carer?
Kinship Carers can be a wide vareity of people, including:
Grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, step‑parents
Relatives of the child’s half‑siblings
Former step‑parents
Someone who used to be in a relationship with the child’s parent and had a family‑like role
Close friends of the child or the child’s parent
Close friends of the child’s close relatives
Someone who already knows the child well, like a teacher, youth worker, childminder, or former foster carer
Financial support for Kinship Care
If you were the child’s foster carer and later become their Special Guardian, you can receive a financial allowance for two years after the special guardianship order, to help you adjust to your new role. This is the same as the fostering allowance, minus payments for birthdays, holidays and festivals, and with child benefit deducted. The allowance is paid fortnightly.
After two years, you can request a financial assessment (means test) if you need ongoing support. If you are eligible and agree to the required conditions, an allowance can be paid fortnightly for one year and then reviewed annually, and payments may change if your financial circumstances change.
If the local authority agrees the child should live with you as a Special Guardian, they can pay your legal fees up to £300 and the special guardianship order application fee. In exceptional circumstances, extra financial help can be requested through the Exceptional Funding Panel, and any exceptional allowances are reviewed every year.
Kinship Carer Support in Peterborough
There are many ways we can offer support. Please click below for more information.
Help & SupportSupporting kinship carers to stay in work
The assessing social worker and the child’s social worker will give advice and support to help kinship carers balance work and caring responsibilities.
Information on employment rights, flexible working, and local support services is available through the local authority and national organisations. Further information can be found at – Visit Best Start in Life
Housing
Guidance and support about housing needs, including advice on local authority housing policies and eligibility for support is available using these links: Visit Social Housing – Peterborough Gov UK  and Visit Housing Advice – Peterborough Gov UK
Education
Peterborough Virtual School is a team of teachers and dedicated education professionals who work to support and improve educational outcomes for all Peterborough children and young people who have or have had a social worker. For further information please visit – Visit Peterborough Virtual School | Peterborough City Council
Pupil Premium Plus is extra government funding in England for schools to support the education of children who are in care or have previously been in care. Here is an overview of pupil premium plus. Â Visit Pupil Premium Plus (Children Previously in Care)
SEND Information Hub
The SEND Information Hub (Local Offer) gives children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) and their families information about support and services in Peterborough. Visit the SEND Information Hub – Peterborough City Council
School Admissions
A child’s carer or guardian makes an application for a school place for the child. School admissions in Peterborough are managed by the School Admissions Team, who deal with applications for places in all school year groups, except for sixth forms and colleges.
Supporting Family Time
Family time arrangements are agreed during the kinship assessment and can also be court ordered. The plan will give details of who the child will be having family time with and will quite often include how often and where it will take place.  Practical and emotional support for maintaining family connections, including arrangements for contact and family time, is also decided during the assessment.
Family time is likely to change throughout the child’s childhood, and the kinship carer is the best person to make decisions about the ongoing arrangements. If they need advice and support, they can make contact with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Adoption and SGO team hosted by the Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) at Cambridgeshire.gov.uk. Adoption and Special Guardianship Support
Peterborough Family Hubs
Peterborough family hubs bring together multiple organisations into a ‘one-stop shop’ providing high-quality support for families with children aged 0-19 or to age 25 for young people with special educational needs. Peterborough Family Hubs | Peterborough City Council
Family Group Decision Making
While families are in assessment, they can access support for family group meetings and mediation to help families make decisions together and plan for the child’s future. If there is no local authority involvement they can access support from the early help hub – Early Help and Targeted Support | Peterborough City Council
Early Help
Early help provides the right children, young people, and families with the right support, in the right place at the right time. By supporting children and families earlier they are helped to find solutions that will make their lives better in the future. Early Help and Targeted Support | Peterborough City Council
Legal Support
Where Peterborough City Council is involved in the long-term planning for a child, the local authority may fund up to £300 to enable kinship carers to access one off legal consultation to review their support plan.
Additional legal advice can be sought from:
Citizens Advice Bureau – Citizen Advice Peterborough
Family Right Group – Helping families Helping children – Family Rights Group
Kinship Uk – Kinship: Home | The Kinship care charity | England and Wales
Coram Baaf – Coram Children’s Legal Centre
Peterborough Kinship Support Group
Support groups are on offer and occur weekly during term time (10am-1pm). If you are interested in booking on, please get in touch with us.
Helpful Resources for Kinship Carers
There are several organisations that provide helpful resources for Kinship Carers. They are all linked below and you can simply click to visit.
General Support Links
Useful LinksHave a question about Kinship Care in Peterborough?
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