However, it’s occasionally necessary to balance one person’s rights and expectations with another’s, which can be challenging for all involved. Over the past two years the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has been examining the support provided to children in kinship care in Scotland. A Special Guardianship Order (often known as an SGO) is a legal order where the court appoints a carer – usually a relative – as the ‘Special Guardian’ of a child until they turn 18. Your rights as an informal kinship carer. Kinship carers are also often referred to as ‘family and friends carers’ or ‘connected people’ by local authorities and in official documents. If the child is not going to return to the parents you may apply for some parental responsibilities and rights at Court through a Section 11 (1) Order, now also known as a Kinship Care Order. In 2020 Family Rights Group on behalf of the Taskforce conducted a survey of kinship carers’ experiences during the Pandemic. If you have information which you want the Children’s Hearing to consider, you can provide this to the Reporter in advance of the Hearing, and the Reporter will include the information in the Hearing papers if the Reporter considers it is relevant to the proceedings. You also have a right to receive the Hearing papers, to attend the Hearing and to appeal against the decision of the Children’s Hearing (within 21 days). Farmer, E. & Moyers, S. (2008) Kinship care: Fostering effective family and friends placements Grandparents Plus (2020) Kinship Care State of the Nation Survey, Grandparents Plus Parliamentary Taskforce on Kinship Care (2020) First Thought Not Afterthought: Report of the Parliamentary Taskforce on Kinship Care, Family Rights Group McGrath, P. and Peake, L. (September … Traditionally, kinship care has been viewed as a cheaper option secondary to fostering and adoption in terms of allowances, support and a lack of standardised practice across the country in how carers are assessed via an assessment framework, rigour and approval process. A child is born. You should give this information to the Reporter no later than four days before the Hearing. In the UK it can come about from a formal arrangement (i.e. The kinship carers would still be entitled to foster carer’s allowance but the child would remain in care and would be subject to regular reviews and medicals. Kinship Carers UK; Family Rights Group; What is this? Kinship carers are family members or friends who care for children who can’t live with parents. This will help children and young people feel more secure and prepared for their Hearing. Kinship care includes children who may be: living in an informal arrangement made by their parents ‘looked after’ by the local authority and placed with kinship foster carers; on a Child Arrangements Order or Special Guardianship Order. As a Kinship Carer, the Hearing may want to hear your views and the chairing Panel Member may allow you to attend. Kinship care, also called connected persons or family and friends care, is where children are looked after by people they already know. Kinship care Kinship care is when a child who cannot live with their birth parents is looked after by extended family members or others with whom they have a relationship. In 2019 Family Rights Group carried out an extensive survey of kinship carers. A Family Rights Group survey of nearly 700 kinship carers – many of whom had taken on children as a result of … Kinship care is an alternative to foster or residential care. If you have information which you want the Children’s Hearing to consider, you can provide this to the Reporter in advance of the Hearing, and the Reporter will include the information in the Hearing papers if the Reporter considers it is relevant to the proceedings. Already a relative or kinship carer? It’s a care arrangement that means a child can live with a family member or sometimes a very close friend. We’re proud to work together with our partners to support kinship carers and their families. Carers may be eligible for different allowances depending on the type of relative and kinship care. The human rights of children in kinship care. Looking for local help? kinship carers as soon as possible, regardless of where they live or their child’s legal status. The survey’s findings can be read here. Some kinship caregivers obtain court-ordered legal custody which gives them certain rights and responsibilities with respect to the children they are raising. Kinship care is what carers learn to do in relationships with others, most importantly with the child they are caring for, but also with others who are important for the child such as birth parents, siblings, extended family members, friends and teachers. connect you with other kinship carers inform you of any events you may be interested in attending There’s a lot of fantastic events lined up to celebrate Kinship Care week 2021, whether you love science, or you’re want more information, or just want to join us for a coffee and chat on Zoom… find out everything that’s happening… Last month, the Family Rights Group published their report ‘The highs and lows of kinship care’. You can contact your Local Authority for advice and support. The report shares the experiences of more than 800 kinship carers. For example, enrolling the child in school or agreeing to a medical procedure for the child is usually easier if you have a court order. Kinship Carers Victoria Phone (03) 9372 2422. This factsheet explains the benefit rules for benefits for kinship carers in Scotland.See Universal credit and kinship carers for more details on the rules about universal credit.This factsheet is … The article discusses: how more children left care through a special guardianship order than through adoption for the first time in 2019; the lack of preparation and support for special guardians; the navigation of complex dynamics between the kinship carers and child’s family; the lack of awareness from some professionals of kinship care and special guardianship. References. Kinship carers also have the additional challenge of being part of the child’s family and having to navigate complex dynamics. You must be approved as a foster carer if the local council has officially asked you to look after a child. Children and young people have the right to: (if a Compulsory Supervision Order is made, varied or continued). In 2019, the Family Rights Group (FRG) surveyed 845 kinship carers caring for 1,252 kinship children across the UK to help develop an in-depth understanding of the current experiences of carers and the children they are raising and produced an initial report, ‘The highs and lows of kinship care: analysis of a comprehensive survey of kinship carers 2019' (available below). If you’re giving full-time care to a child, you can get information from: 1. That report highlighted that three-quarters of kinship carers feel they did It established and enshrined the rights … Contact them for help finding a grandparent or kinship carer support group near you. Attend the Hearing (and they have an obligation to do so unless excused); Bring a representative and/or a lawyer in to the Hearing with them; Express their views and have their views taken into account; Appeal against the decision of the Children’s Hearing (within 21 days); Request another Hearing which can take place three months after the last Hearing, Ask to speak to the Panel Members on their own, Ask the Hearing to see them separately from their parents or others if they do not wish to have contact with them, Ask for the Hearing to stop for a while so they can have a break to speak to their representative or lawyer, Ask for the Hearing to be deferred to another date (for example, if they need more information or time to prepare). Please visit Children’s Health Scotland for further information. Benefits of being a kinship carer include sharing family and culture with children as they grow. Kinship Care is a term given to carers who are looking after relatives. Most kinship carers are related to the children they look after, and the majority are grandparents, aunts and uncles, siblings or other family members. Fiona Aitken, Adoption UK’s Director in Scotland, said: “Kinship Care Week is an opportunity to highlight the amazing job that kinship carers do, along with the challenges that they face. The type of grandparent or kinship care you have affects the decisions you can make about the child and the financial benefits you might get. Sometimes, but not always, children and young people will have already been placed in to care with family members or close family friends prior to a Children’s Hearing, because there are concerns about that child or young person remaining at home with their immediate family. If the local council didn’t ask you to look after the child you don’t have to tell them the child has come to stay with you. The Family Rights Group Each person’s rights are important. By Julie Griffiths on February 10, 2011 in Children, Fostering and adoption, Looked after children. There are three main types of grandparent or kinship care. This is why we are campaigning for a Kinship Care Act to ensure that every family raising a child in kinship care is supported to provide the stability and care the child needs. You should give this information to the Reporter no later than four days before the Hearing. Children, young people, their parents and carers have certain basic rights and things that they can reasonably expect under the law. If you attend the Children’s Hearing, you can expres… Grandparents Victoria This is a support and advocacy network for grandparents in Victoria. Bethany – Kinship care This organisation provides support groups and advice for kinship carers in south-west Victoria. You should give this information to the Reporter no later than four days before the Hearing. Legal custody will allow kinship caregivers to: Make many of the major decisions regarding the children’s care, … The child’s views should be sought at all times. You should never feel under pressure from the council to look after a … … We identified serious human rights concerns in relation to the financial support provided by some local authorities to looked after children in kinship care. At the Hearing, children and young people may also: If you have any questions about how best to support a child or young person attending a Hearing, you may contact the Children’s Reporter and he or she will be happy to help. There will be a Children’s Hearing for the child or young person at least once per year while the Compulsory Supervision Order remains in place. There are different means by which a child may be living with a kinship carer, depending on the relationship between them and their carer, the level of involvement with the local authority, and, where applicable, the nature of the court order granted. You can contact your Local Authority or support services listed in section 5 for advice/support. Kinship carers have today shared their personal experiences at the national Kinship Care Forum in Sydney. The Special Guardian then shares parental responsibility for the child with the parents, and can make nearly all the major decisions about the child without having to consult them. Kinship carers are family or friends who step in to care for children who would otherwise go into care. See our emergency contacts page. As a Kinship Carer, it is likely that you have a child or young person in your care, because they are subject to a Compulsory Supervision Order, which was put in place by a Children’s Hearing. 845 kinship carers raising at least 1252 kinship children filled in the survey. There are different types of kinship care - formal or informal. The coronavirus pandemic is exacerbating gaps in support for kinship carers, putting children’s placements at risk, a charity has warned. Keep up-to-date and informed on the latest kinship care news from kinship.scot. • Half of kinship carers believe their child/children need additional support to catch up on education. The following websites offer kinship carers further useful advice, support and information: Children and Young People’s experiences of Hearings, Provide information for consideration by the Hearing. They do this without the same access to support that is afforded to foster carers. The Family Rights Group template for assessing kinship carers The Family Rights Group has produced a template to help social workers assess friends and family carers, reports Julie Griffiths. A parent must consent to any decisions you wish to make and so can intervene at any time. Kinship carers in England are also known as family and friends carers and/or connected persons carers. If an agreement has been made between you and the parents: The parents retain full legal responsibilities and rights of the child; You as a carer have a duty to safeguard and promote the health and development of the child’s welfare through direction and guidance You’re known as a family and friends carer if you’re a grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother, sister or family friend looking after a child who can’t be cared for by their birth parents. Informal arrangement This is when you have an agreement with the child’s family about caring fo… the Rights of the Child (Article 3, Article 8, and Article 20) and in the UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children (2009). If you are a ‘Relevant Person’, you have a right to provide information for consideration by the Hearing. Legal: • We echo the findings of the Parliamentary Taskforce on Kinship Care’s report published in September 2020 in respect of access to legal support. Kinship care surveys. The Forum, hosted at the Australian Human Rights Commission with the Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA), looked at ways kinship carers can be better supported and how best to help children in their care. Father has responsibilities and rights if: If an agreement has been made between you and the parents: If and when a child is ill and may need to go into hospital, carers need to be aware of the healthcare rights, needs and issues relating to the child in their care. Why are children in kinship care? We will notify you when we publish any new articles to our News page. As a Kinship Carer, the Hearing may want to hear your views and the chairing Panel Member may allow you to attend. Grandparents Plus 2. You cannot make major decisions about the child’s health, schooling or travel, A parent can return at any time and demand the return of the child, You as a carer will not have rights to attend meetings about the child’s welfare. It is uncommon for a Care Order to be made if a child will remain in a kinship placement, but at times it is regarded as the most appropriate, in the best interests of the child. All provide an opportunity for children to feel loved and cared for by people with whom they already have a connection. All carers are provided with support, training and advocacy and are supported by a caseworker through an accredited out-of-home-care … Permanent Placement of a Child with Carers, Offering Permanent Care to a Child who is Placed in Foster Care, Seeking Parental Rights and Responsibilities, Financial Assistance for a Kinship Care Order, Benefit Entitlements for a “Non Looked After” Child, Benefit Entitlements for a Child in an Informal Relationship, Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 & Parts, Zara, aged 5½ years and Ryan, aged 4½ years, For more help with your Legal Rights and Responsibilities visit www.clanchildlaw.org, You should now read “Seeking Parental Rights and Responsibilities”…, He is named on the child’s birth certificate (since 4 May 2006), Mother can grant rights to father through Parental Responsibilities and Parental Rights Agreement, The father can apply to be granted parental responsibilities and rights, Both have a legal responsibility to keep the child safe and promote their health, development and welfare through direction and guidance, They act as the child’s legal representative, The parents retain full legal responsibilities and rights of the child, You as a carer have a duty to safeguard and promote the health and development of the child’s welfare through direction and guidance, You are entitled to support and guidance from the Local Authority in your area.