EU KINSHIP CARE PROJECT (Scotland)

The Pilot Project

A guide and resource booklet for Kinship Carers

A step by step guide which informs Kinship Carers of their role in becoming a kinship Carer

Describes the role of the social worker and their required involvement in the case

A detailed list of financial and legal entitlements and supporting networks available for Kinship Carers

Available as an online resource and contained within a pack that can be

easily updated

“They make you feel so stupid and so sometimes I just agreed to what they were saying in order to get the meeting over and done with.”

“I just felt so lost, I didn’t know where or who to turn to until I found out about kinship carer support groups.”

Why?

Achieving Our Aims Common understanding and respect between Kinship Carers

and Social workers in each of the roles that they play

Kinship Carers will feel confident in looking after children as they aware of their role and know they will be

supported

Better support for Kinship Carers from professionals and support groups

More awareness of the role of kinship carers across

Scotland

The ProcessContact made with all local authorities to

assess interest

Contact with kinship carers

maintained

Form links with members of

Scottish Government

Contact academics

whose focus is kinship care

Source representative

s from the financial sector

Source representative

s from the legal sector

Identify support

agencies who work with

kinship carers

Liaise with all

agencies to assess

their views of the pilot

Design of the Resource Guide

Design

• Bright & colourful

• Colour coded sections

Content

• Simple, straightforward

• Stripped of jargon

Style

• Flow charts• Easy to use

& understand

Design of the Resource Guide cont

Assessment, guidance & support for kinship carers by

the Local Authority

Benefit information for kinship carer

Legal rights and responsibilities of kinship carers

List of support agencies for kinship carers and their

children

Contents

Problems FacedLack of consistency within the local authorities of treatment of kinship carers

Different types of kinship carers – “looked after” - “non- looked after” - informal

relationships Lack of consistency for financial entitlements in all of the local authorities

Lack of understanding of the role of kinship carers by local authorities, government and key agencies

Differences of opinion by kinship carers & professionals of what is important

So much important information which needed to be includedResource needs a personal touch

New Resource GuideGlossary to explain

jargonColour coded sections for 3 types of kinship

carers

Process of assessment & support for each

Benefit information for each

Case studies for all

Legal rights and responsibilities for each

Useful info and national support services

The LaunchGuide offered to

Local Authorities for kinship carers and

staff

Resources available in community, and

through website with promotion of posters

Official launch on 26th October in Edinburgh with Minister Adam Ingram present

Feedback

Kinship Carers Professionals

Fantastic resource

Informative and well written

Eye catching, clear and easy to

understand

All our views have been listened to

Wide ranging with tight timescales

A difficult task but undertaken well

“This is exciting this is the start of something new. I just wish I had this when I started out”

“This project highlights the problems in Scotland around kinship care”

Lessons Learned for Scotland There is a lack of awareness of what is a kinship carer?There is a clear lack of recognition of the role of kinship care by the Scottish Government and Local AuthoritiesThere is clear inconsistency across Scotland of the support, procedures and guidance for kinship carersThere is a clear lack of resources and support for kinship carers who are classed as “non looked after” and informal kinship carers

Clear inconsistencies between similar supporting agencies in providing advice to kinship carersThe resource has generated interest from other local authorities who now wish to use it – option for LA to have localised resources for their kinship carers