Kinship care can give a child a safe home with relatives or trusted adults when parents cannot provide day-to-day care. Learn how the legal routes differ, what support may be available and how to keep the child’s needs central.
TL;DR
Kinship care is when a child lives with a relative, family friend or another trusted adult because their parents cannot provide everyday care. Legal arrangements affect parental responsibility, financial help and local authority involvement, so carers should ask for clear advice and a written support plan.
Kinship Care: A Guide for Families
A child may need a safe, familiar home before a long-term plan is settled. A grandparent, aunt, uncle, older sibling or family friend may step in quickly. The move can bring reassurance while raising questions about legal rights, money, school and contact with parents.
This guide explains what kinship care means, the main arrangements used in England, and how carers can find support. The child’s wishes and everyday experience should remain central. Legal routes and services differ across the UK, so check the rules where the child lives and seek advice before agreeing to a long-term arrangement.
What is kinship care?
Kinship care is when a child lives with a relative, family friend or another connected adult because their parents cannot provide day-to-day care. It may be temporary during illness or a crisis, or become a long-term home. The child might live with a grandparent, aunt, uncle, adult sibling, step-relative or close family friend.
The phrase describes who cares for the child, not one legal status. Some children live with relatives through a family agreement. Others are placed with an approved kinship foster carer or live under a court order. The route affects decisions, support and whether the child is looked after by the council.
A child living with relatives is not automatically in foster care or “in care”. In an informal kinship care arrangement, parents usually keep parental responsibility. If the council places a child with a relative as a foster placement, the child remains looked after and the local authority has duties under the care plan. Ask early what arrangement is proposed and what it means day to day.
Who can become a kinship carer?
A kinship carer is an adult who cares for a child from their wider family or social network. Grandparents are common, but a child may also move in with an aunt, uncle, adult sibling, step-relative, cousin, godparent or family friend. In kinship care, the key factors are the existing connection and the adult’s ability to provide safe, consistent care.
There is no single route into kinship care. A parent may ask a relative to help, a family meeting may identify someone who can step in, or children’s services may assess relatives when a child cannot safely stay at home. Some carers already have a close bond with the child. Others need time to build routines after a sudden move. What matters is whether the child is safe and the carer can access appropriate support.
Why might a child live with family or friends?
Kinship care may begin when a parent is seriously unwell, grieving, in hospital or prison, experiencing a mental health crisis, facing domestic abuse, or dealing with housing problems or substance use. A parent may ask a relative to help, or children’s services or a court may become involved over safety or wellbeing concerns.
The circumstances can be painful for everyone. A relative may feel loyalty to the parent as well as concern for the child. A child may miss home, feel relieved to be somewhere familiar, or hold several feelings at once. Kinship care should not be framed as punishment or as a simple fix to a family problem. Adults can explain what is happening without blaming the child or asking them to take sides.
Living with someone familiar may help a child keep relationships, routines, language, customs and memories that matter to them. It does not remove every difficulty. A child in kinship care may still need reassurance, a clear explanation and time to adjust. Avoid promising that the arrangement will be short or permanent until the plan is known.
What legal arrangements can be used?
Kinship care includes several arrangements. In England, common routes are a private family agreement, kinship foster care, a child arrangements order and a special guardianship order. Private fostering is separate but related. Each route affects parental responsibility, oversight and support. Rules and service names differ across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Private family arrangement
A private family arrangement is usually agreed between a parent and close relative without a court order or a placement made by children’s services. The parent normally keeps parental responsibility. The carer may need the parent’s agreement for important school, health or travel decisions.
Agree who makes decisions, how long the child may stay, what money is needed and how contact will work. Informal kinship care can suit short-term help, but may become difficult if the child stays long term, the parent is unavailable or adults disagree. Ask the council about support and get legal advice before formalising it.
Kinship foster care
A local authority may place a child with a relative or connected person as a foster placement. The carer is assessed and approved under fostering rules. The child remains looked after by the council, which oversees the care plan. The carer provides daily care and works with the child’s social worker.
Ask what allowance applies, when it begins, how it is reviewed, and what training or support is available. Kinship care as a foster placement has formal oversight and support arrangements that are different from an informal family agreement. A relative should not assume that a private arrangement will later be treated like fostering.
Child arrangements order
A child arrangements order can set out who a child lives with and, in some cases, time spent with other people. A connected adult may be able to apply, depending on eligibility and the circumstances. The person named as someone the child lives with normally shares parental responsibility with the parents.
Before applying, ask how an order would affect decision-making, contact, financial support and children’s services involvement. The details depend on the order and the child’s history, so a solicitor or specialist advice service can explain what it would mean for your family.
Special guardianship order
A special guardianship order appoints a guardian until the child is 18, unless a court changes or ends it earlier. It gives the guardian parental responsibility and usually lets them make most upbringing decisions. A parent does not automatically lose parental responsibility, and this route is different from adoption.
Special guardianship can provide a long-term home while preserving the child’s legal relationship with their birth family. Before an order is made, ask for a written plan covering financial help, contact, therapy, education and future needs. Support is not automatically the same as fostering.
Private fostering is different
In England, private fostering generally involves a child under 16, or under 18 if disabled, living for 28 days or more with someone who is not a close relative and is not an approved foster carer. The parent and carer must notify the local council. A social worker checks that the child is safe and can offer help. A close family arrangement and a council-approved kinship foster placement are different routes.
How does kinship care differ from foster care or adoption?
Kinship care is a broad term for a child being raised by someone from their family or network. Foster care is a formal placement arranged or approved by a local authority. Kinship foster care is therefore a type of foster care, but many kinship carers are not foster carers. For a child in kinship care, legal status and support depend on the route.
Adoption changes a child’s legal parentage and normally ends the legal relationship with their birth parents. Kinship care does not automatically do this. The child may remain connected to parents through family relationships and, where safe and agreed, contact. Ask a solicitor or advice service how each option affects parental responsibility and long-term decisions.
The label alone does not show whether an arrangement is safe or stable. A private agreement may work well when adults communicate and the child’s needs are met. A formal order may provide clearer authority when a child needs long-term security. Consider the child’s age, wishes, history, safety and future needs, not only what is easiest to arrange quickly.
Keep the child’s wishes and relationships central
In kinship care, children need clear, age-appropriate information about why they are moving, what is known and which adults are helping. Avoid adult disputes or frightening details. It is fine to say an answer is not known yet, then explain when someone will update them. Reassurance works best when adults follow through.
The child may feel grief, anger, loyalty, relief or confusion, sometimes all at once. Do not pressure them to call a carer “mum” or “dad”, take sides, keep secrets or show gratitude. Listen to what they say and notice changes in sleep, school or play. A trusted adult outside the home can give them space to speak freely.
Family contact should follow the child’s legal arrangements and safety plan. It may involve visits, calls, letters, supervised time or, in some situations, be limited or paused by the person or court with authority to decide. The child should not carry messages between adults or feel responsible for family conflict. If contact is difficult, ask the person responsible for the kinship care plan to review it.
What support can kinship carers ask for?
Support for a child in kinship care depends on the legal arrangement, local authority and child’s needs. Ask the council for its current kinship care information or local offer, and request an assessment where appropriate. England’s statutory guidance was updated in October 2026 to reflect new duties and national kinship standards. As local arrangements develop, check current information rather than relying on an older leaflet or advice from another area.
A support plan may cover health, education, wellbeing, family contact, practical care and the carer’s needs. Ask about transport, childcare, housing, equipment, therapy, respite, training and benefits advice. Some help is available regardless of legal status; other services depend on whether the child is looked after or has a particular order.
Ask who coordinates support and how to contact them. Request decisions in writing, including reasons for refusing a service and how to challenge that decision. If the arrangement began informally, explain how the child’s needs and the carer’s responsibilities have changed. The local authority may need to consider further assessment or whether another legal route is appropriate.
A support group can reduce isolation and help carers prepare questions for professionals. It should complement advice about an individual child’s legal status or safety. A child should not have to wait for a carer to become exhausted before adults respond.
Is there financial support for kinship carers?
Financial support for kinship care is not one universal allowance. Help can depend on whether the child is in a foster placement, has a special guardianship or child arrangements order, or lives with a relative through an informal agreement. Councils may use different criteria. Ask for the policy and payment calculation in writing.
Kinship foster carers should ask about the fostering allowance and expenses. Special guardians may qualify for an allowance after assessment, but it is not automatic. Carers may also be eligible for benefits or help with childcare, school costs or housing. Check current rules before making decisions that could affect another claim.
In 2026, England began a Kinship Zones programme that includes an allowance pilot in selected local authority areas. It is not a universal payment. Ask the council whether the child and carer meet the pilot’s eligibility rules or whether a local scheme applies. Keep records of extra costs such as travel, clothing, food, school items and changes to work hours.
What should you do if a child may come to live with you?
If you may provide kinship care, ask what decisions must be made now and who is responsible. If children’s services are involved, ask whether the plan is an informal family agreement, temporary foster placement or court order. Request a meeting with the child where appropriate, parents if safe, the prospective carer and professionals who can explain the options.
When setting up kinship care, clarify practical responsibilities before or soon after the move. Discuss school collection, health appointments, medicines, essential costs and decisions about travel or activities. Ask who the child can contact if they feel worried. Agree how adults will share updates and how family contact will work. Written notes can prevent misunderstandings when several relatives want to help.
If a move is urgent, focus first on safety, a calm place to sleep, food, medication and a trusted adult. Keep familiar items where possible, such as a favourite book, blanket, toy or school bag. Tell the child what is happening in short, truthful sentences. Avoid promises about dates or outcomes that adults cannot control. Once immediate needs are met, ask how to arrange an assessment and support.
Helping a child settle into kinship care
A new home may take time to feel familiar. Keep routines predictable but allow flexibility if the child is tired, distressed or missing home. Explain expectations gently and show how things work. Give the child a private place for belongings and choices about everyday matters such as meals or bedtime.
School should know what it needs to help, but involve the child in deciding what is shared. A move may affect attendance, concentration, friendships and activities. A named staff contact can make it easier to ask for help. If the child has additional learning, health or communication needs, share relevant information with the right professionals and ask what support is available.
Try to maintain important relationships where it is safe, including siblings, friends, school staff and community connections. Children should not have to choose between loyalty to parents and comfort in a kinship care home. Adults can speak respectfully about family members while setting clear safety boundaries. Regular check-ins help a child say what is working and what should change.
Look after the carer as well as the child
Caring for a child in kinship care can affect work, money, health, housing and relationships. A carer may feel grateful while grieving the change, worrying about the child or feeling frustrated with a parent. These feelings do not mean the carer is unsuited to the role. They show why practical and emotional support matter.
Be realistic about what one person can manage. Ask trusted adults to take on clear tasks, such as school runs, meals or appointments, rather than relying on general offers. Tell the social worker if caring affects sleep, work or health. Ask about respite or support groups. A stable plan should include the carer’s capacity, not only the child’s immediate needs.
If a carer and parent disagree, keep the child away from arguments and do not use them as a messenger. Professionals can clarify the plan, contact arrangements and decision-making responsibilities. If you feel unsafe or unable to continue, tell the social worker or local authority promptly so the child’s care plan can be reviewed.
Where can kinship carers get advice?
For kinship care advice, start with the local council’s children’s services or kinship team. Ask who is responsible, the child’s legal status, how to request an assessment and how to get out-of-hours help. If an order or document is unclear, get independent legal advice before agreeing to a long-term decision.
A solicitor who specialises in children’s law, a family support adviser, school staff or the child’s social worker may help explain next steps. In England, specialist family advice services can help relatives understand children’s services processes and options. Advice routes differ across the UK, so look for a service where the child lives. If a child is in immediate danger, contact emergency services or the local authority safeguarding team.
Kinship care can give a child familiarity and belonging during a difficult period. Its success does not depend on one relative coping alone. Clear legal information, honest conversations, steady relationships and practical help give both child and carer a stronger foundation. Ask questions early and keep the child’s safety, voice and everyday needs central.
Got a question?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is kinship care in the UK?
Kinship care is when a child is cared for by a relative, family friend or another connected adult because their parents cannot provide day-to-day care. The arrangement may be informal or supported by a court order or local authority placement.
Do kinship carers get paid?
Not all kinship carers receive an allowance. Financial help depends on the legal arrangement, local authority and the child’s circumstances. Kinship foster carers and special guardians may be eligible for different forms of support. Ask the council for its current policy and assessment criteria.
Is kinship care the same as foster care?
No. Kinship care is a broad term for a child living with someone from their family or network. Kinship foster care is a formal arrangement where the local authority places the child with an approved foster carer. Other kinship arrangements may not involve foster care or looked-after status.
Can a grandparent get parental responsibility?
A grandparent may gain parental responsibility through certain legal routes, such as a child arrangements order or special guardianship order. The process and the rights attached to an order differ, so get legal advice before applying.
Does a child in kinship care stay in care?
It depends on the arrangement. A child placed with a relative as a local authority foster placement remains looked after. A child living with a relative under an informal agreement, child arrangements order or special guardianship order may not have the same legal status.
How do I become a kinship carer?
If a child may need to live with you, contact the local authority and ask whether it is considering a kinship foster placement, a family arrangement or another legal route. The council can explain assessments, checks and support. The process differs depending on the child’s circumstances.
