Kinship care in education

What is kinship care?

Kinship care is when a child lives full-time or most of the time with a relative or close family friend, usually because their parents are not able to care for them. The arrangement may be temporary or longer term. In the UK, there are more than 180,000 children in kinship care.

Grandparents are the most common kinship carers, but older siblings, aunts, uncles, and people who know the child well can also take on the role. This list is not exhaustive. Kinship carers are sometimes referred to as 'family and friend's carers' or 'connected people' by local authorities and in some documents.

Most children are in kinship care because their parents are not able to look after them. Research shows that around half of children are in kinship care because their parents have had problems with drugs or alcohol. Children may also need kinship care if their parents die, go to prison, or they are abusive, neglectful or unwell.

A kinship carer provides a stable home life where a child or young person can grow and develop in a safe, positive environment. They also get to stay in their existing family network, which helps them maintain their sense of identity and family relationships.

Why is it important to be aware of children or young people in kinship care? 

Being aware of the children and young people (CYP) within the kinship cohort allows schools & settings to better understand the challenges that they may face, enabling them to better meet their needs.

The main challenges which children & young people in kinship care may face are outlined below:

• There are variety of different circumstances for being in kinship care, but many will have experienced trauma.
• Educational support for this cohort does not always recognise their specific circumstances & needs, meaning that they are often not getting the educational support that they need.
• There is a high prevalence of special educational needs amongst this cohort, but many are missing out on a diagnosis and formalised support in school.
• Many are struggling with their mental health, and emotional and therapeutic support for this group is lacking.
• They may need additional support to manage contact and navigate their family relationships and identity.
• Kinship carers can find it difficult to navigate the education system as it can be unclear what support this group are entitled to in order to thrive at school.

Source:  "Championing Kinship Care: The National Kinship Care Strategy", December 2023, and "Forgotten: Support for Kinship Children's Education and Mental Health", August 2024.

What does the law say?

The government recently produced two documents regarding the role of education for children & young people who are in kinship care. These documents are "Championing Kinship Care: The National Kinship Care Strategy" and "Promoting the education of children with a social worker and children in kinship care arrangements: virtual school head role extension". The non-statutory DfE guidance within these documents, specifies that from September 2024, the Virtual School Head strategic role will include:

• Raising the visibility of the distinct needs of children in different types of kinship care arrangements and the disadvantage that they can experience.
• Promoting practice that supports their attendance and engagement in education.
• Promoting practice that improves children in kinship care's outcomes to narrow the attainment gap, so that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

The virtual school will also offer advice and information, on request, to all kinship carers with Special Guardianship and Child Arrangements Orders as part of their non-statutory role.  This has been initially funded until March 2025.

What support is available?

National

The charity, Kinship, is the leading kinship care charity in England and Wales, they support, advise and inform kinship carers. Kinship Compass is a new interactive tool which helps kinship carers to navigate and find independent information, it is a gateway to support and advice, guiding kinship carers, at a local and national level.

Kinship carers can enter their location or postcode and access:

• Workshops and roadshows running online and in person
• Peer support groups and one-to-one volunteer support (Someone Like Me)
• Online advice guides and information
• Our Kinship Community for up-to-date news and stories  

The CoramBAAF website offers a range of practice notes, briefings and other resources to support kinship carers. Please visit Kinship care | CoramBAAF for more information.

Norfolk

The virtual school's Norfolk local offer is currently in the consultation stage. The virtual school is in contact with kinship families, schools and other professionals, to further understand the needs, views and lived experiences of this cohort. This information will be integral in informing the virtual school's kinship offer.

An advice line to speak to a virtual school adviser, is available each Thursday from 9:30am-12:00pm. The advice line is aimed towards families of those previously in care & those currently in kinship care. The contact number is: 01603 303323.

The Norfolk Adoption & Kinship Team advice line is available to offer signposting and general advice for kinship carers. Kinship Duty line: 01603 224131, available Monday to Friday, 9:00am - 12:30pm. The team may also be reached via email at cs.kinshipteam@norfolk.gov.uk

Key contacts

If you would like any further information or support from the virtual school, please email at Virtual.SchoolsPiC@norfolk.gov.uk or telephone the virtual school's General Enquiries line: 01603 303323, available Monday to Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm.