Kinship care

Learn what kinship care means, the support available for relatives and friends raising children, and how to access help and advice.

About kinship carers

Kinship care is when a child is looked after by someone they already know and trust. This arrangement helps maintain family ties and a sense of stability for the child. There are several types of people who can become a kinship carer under the law. These include:

• a close relative of the child (this includes anyone who is defined as a relative under the Children Act 1989 such as ‘a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, stepparent)
• a close relative of the child’s half-siblings
• former stepparents or partners of the child’s parent (they may or may not have parental responsibility for the child)
• a close friend of the child, or of the child’s parent(s)
• a close friend of the child's close relative
• a person with a prior connection to the child who does not otherwise fall within one of the other categories above (for example, a teacher, youth worker, childminder or former foster carer)