Types of kinship care arrangements

Kinship care arrangements can take different forms depending on the level of legal involvement and the relationship between the child and the carer. These arrangements range from informal family agreements to formal court orders and local authority placements. Understanding the types of kinship care is important for knowing what support and responsibilities apply in each situation.

The main types include:

informal kinship care - private family arrangements where a close relative cares for the child without local authority involvement or a court order
short-term private arrangements - where a child under 16 is accommodated for fewer than 28 days by someone who is not a close relative
private fostering - where someone who is not a close relative for a child aged under 16 looks after the child for 28 days or more, as defined under Section 66 of the Children Act 1989
Child Arrangements Orders - orders placing a child with a friend or family member who is not a parent
Special Guardianship Orders - where a court order has been appointing a friend or family member as the child’s special guardian
kinship foster care - where a child is looked after by the local authority and placed with a friend or family member who is an approved foster carer
adoption by relatives or friends - where the adopter was a friend or family member prior to the adoption order