What support is available after becoming a kinship carer?

After becoming a kinship carer, support usually comes from the local authority, the child’s existing professionals and specialist kinship organisations. The type and level of help depend on the legal arrangement, the child’s needs, your circumstances and the policies of the local authority responsible for the child.

Support based on the legal arrangement

Your entitlement to support is not the same in every kinship care situation. The main arrangements include:

• Kinship foster care: you are approved as a foster carer for a child who is related to you or known to you. You should have a supervising social worker, a foster care agreement, regular reviews and access to fostering support and training.
• Special guardianship: you take on a long-term parental role while the child’s parents usually retain some legal rights. The local authority may provide a support plan, financial assistance, therapeutic services, practical advice and help with contact arrangements, depending on the assessment and the local policy.
• Child arrangements orders: the order sets out who the child lives with and may provide access to specific support. Ask the local authority what help is available and obtain independent legal advice if the order or contact arrangements are difficult to manage.
• Informal kinship care: if there is no court order or formal approval, support may be less clearly defined. You can still ask children’s services, your GP, the child’s school and relevant support organisations what assistance may be available.

Social work and case support

Depending on the arrangement, you may have contact with a social worker, supervising social worker or family support worker. They can help you understand your responsibilities, plan for the child’s changing needs, prepare for meetings and address concerns about safeguarding, behaviour, education or family contact.

For children who are looked after by the local authority, there may be regular review meetings and a care plan. These meetings provide an opportunity to discuss the child’s progress, health, education, contact with relatives and the support you need to continue caring safely. Keep notes about important events, appointments, contact visits and any concerns so that you can provide clear information to the professionals involved.

Training and practical guidance

Kinship carers may be offered training or guidance on subjects such as trauma, attachment, managing behaviour, safeguarding, first aid, promoting positive contact and supporting a child who has experienced loss or disruption. Training can help you understand why a child may behave differently after moving into your care and how to respond consistently.

You may also need practical advice about school admissions, healthcare registration, consent for treatment, travel, identity documents and access to records. Your legal authority to make decisions can vary, so check what you can agree yourself and when the local authority or the child’s parents need to be involved.

Emotional and therapeutic support

Kinship care can affect the whole family. Support may include counselling, therapeutic work for the child, family support sessions, help with managing contact and advice about talking to other children in the household. A referral may need to come from a social worker, GP, school or another professional, and not every service will be available in every area.

Peer support groups can also be useful. Speaking to other kinship carers may help you understand common challenges, prepare for reviews and find practical ways to manage family relationships. Choose groups that protect confidentiality and use reliable information when discussing legal or financial matters.

Financial help

The financial support available depends on the child’s legal status and your household circumstances. Approved kinship foster carers generally receive fostering payments in line with the relevant fostering arrangements. A special guardian may be considered for a special guardianship allowance, but this is assessed according to individual circumstances and local authority rules.

You may also need to check whether you qualify for benefits or tax-related support, such as Child Benefit or Universal Credit. The effect of kinship care on your existing benefits can depend on your income, savings, household and the type of order in place. Ask for a written explanation of any allowance and seek independent benefits advice before making financial decisions.

Education and health support

Tell the child’s school or early years setting about the caring arrangement and provide the relevant legal documents where appropriate. The designated teacher or safeguarding lead may be able to help with school transitions, attendance, additional learning needs and emotional wellbeing.

Arrange registration with a GP, dentist and optician, and make sure professionals understand the child’s history where this is relevant. Some children may need specialist assessment or additional support because of previous experiences, developmental needs or uncertainty about their family situation.

Family contact and boundaries

Many kinship arrangements involve contact with parents or other relatives. A written plan should explain when contact takes place, who supervises it, how changes are agreed and what to do if the child becomes distressed or someone does not follow the arrangements. Record concerns and raise them promptly with the social worker or other responsible professional rather than changing formal arrangements without advice.

How to access the right help

• Ask the local authority or social worker for a written support plan, including who to contact about practical, financial and emotional issues.
• Check the legal documents and understand what they say about decision-making, financial assistance and contact.
• Tell the child’s school, GP and other professionals about relevant needs and ask what support they can provide.
• Keep records of payments, appointments, contact arrangements and significant incidents.
• Seek independent legal, benefits or advocacy advice if you do not understand a decision or believe the support does not reflect the child’s needs.

Support should be reviewed as the child grows and circumstances change. A move to a new school, changes in contact, increased behavioural needs or a change in your household may mean that the existing plan needs to be reconsidered.