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Glossary: Kinship Care


Kinship care is any situation in which a child is being raised in the care of a friend or family member who is not their parent. The arrangement may be temporary or longer term.

The following are all types of kinship care arrangements however this list is not exhaustive:

  1. Informal kinship care arrangements (not approved foster care) including:
    1. A private family arrangement in which a close family member who does not hold parental responsibility, raises the child and
      • The local authority has had no major role in making the arrangement for the child
      • Where a Family Court has not made an order in respect to the care of the child.
    2. Where a child under the age of 16 is being provided with accommodation for less than 28 days by an individual in their own home who is not a close relative
    3. Where a 16 or 17 year old is being provided with accommodation by an individual who is not a close relative in their own home
  2. A private fostering arrangement in which someone who is not a close relative of the child looks after the child for 28 days or more (as per section 66(1)(a) and (b) of the Children Act 1989)
  3. Where a ‘lives with’ child arrangements order has been granted in respect of the child, in favour of someone who is a friend or family member but is not the child’s parent.
  4. Where a special guardianship order has been granted appointing a friend or family member as the child’s special guardian.
  5. Where a child is a ‘looked after child’ by virtue of either an interim or final care order or being accommodated by the local authority (usually under section 20 of the Children Act 1989) and each of the following apply (this may be described as ‘kinship foster care’ or ‘family and friends foster care’):
    1. The child is being cared for by a friend or family member who is not their parent, and
    2. The friend or family member is approved as a local authority foster carer on a temporary basis or following full assessment.
  6. Where an adoption order has been granted in respect of the child and, prior to the making of the order, the adopter was a friend or family member.

(Definition provided by Working Together)