Kinship Care Lynn Chesterman Chief Executive The Grandparents’ Association
The Grandparents’ Association • Established in 1987 – originally because of adoption issues. • Only national charity working for grandchildren and grandparents in public and grandchildren and grandparents in public and private law and on issues of kinship care, contact and childcare. • Approximately 8,000 calls per annum to the helpline 0845 434 9585
The Grandparents’ Association • 2 million hits per annum on the website www.grandparents-association.org.uk • Input to 58 support groups and rising. • Offices in Harlow, Leeds, Portsmouth and Offices in Harlow, Leeds, Portsmouth and London delivering national and local services. • Delivering some specialist services – eg London’s crime project. • Staff will reduce in April 2011 to 14 (most p/t)
The Grandparents’ Association • Helpline: • From April, 1 staff member and 18 volunteers • Core hours 10.00 – 16.00 Monday to Friday • Average call lasts 11 minutes • 24.2% referred by other agencies (mainly CAB) 24.2% referred by other agencies (mainly CAB) • 22.05% of calls followed media involvement • 5.1% personal recommendations • 48% contact and family feud • 8% adoption • 38% kinship/family and friends care
The Grandparents’ Association • Helpline ctd... • Staff spent 3120 hours on calls • Volunteers spent 1560 hours • Accredited by THA and LSC. • 72% of callers stated that they would recommend the service and felt that it had helped them with their relationships with their grandchildren.
The Grandparents’ Association • Unique welfare benefits system for kinship carers (p/t) • Calls increased by 48% in last year to 439 • 18 kinship carers received individual grants or holidays 18 kinship carers received individual grants or holidays • 1 received a new computer via government grant • Member of HMRC benefits group • Top agency for holidays • Over £300,000 of benefits claimed – an increase of £56,500 over the last year.
The Grandparents’ Association • Membership, Lawyers, Social Care • Executive member of Kinship Care Alliance • Chair of Alliance on Family Contact • Support groups: Support groups: • An average of 128 grandparents receive regular monthly support • Grandparent and Toddler groups.
Kinship Care • Kinship Care or Family and Friends Care? • New government guidance on family and friends care introduced April 2011 • Still different levels: Still different levels: • Informal carers • Foster carers • With Special Guardianship Orders • With Residence Orders
Kinship Care • How many? • Approximately 200,000 – 300,000 children live with friends and family because they are unable to live at home. • Many of these children would be in the care of the Many of these children would be in the care of the state if they were not within their extended family. • Only around 7,000 children living in such placements are know to the local authorities. • Most receive little support – especially financial – hence referrals to Nigel increase!
Kinship Care • What we know: • Family and friends placements are more stable than unrelated care placements • 3 out of 4 carers experience financial hardship • One third are lone carers and 1 in 3 live in overcrowded conditions. • 3 out of 10 have a chronic illness or disability. • 60% of children being cared for by family and friends had been exposed to substance misuse.
Kinship Care • A recent briefing on behalf of the Kinship Care Alliance by Family Rights Group also added: • Children feel loved and report higher levels of satisfaction. • Children placed within their family can more easily maintain a sense of family and cultural identity. a sense of family and cultural identity. • Contact with family members is more likely to be maintained than when placed in stranger foster care. • Children placed with family and friends appear to be as safe and their behaviour perceived to be less problematic when compared to children in unrelated foster care
Children’s Voices • In 2010 The Grandparents’ Association published Children’s Voices – listening to young people living with their grandparents. Here are some of their comments: Here are some of their comments:
Children’s Voices • I just want to be like everyone else. I don’t have anyone to call Mum or Dad. If I call my grandparents this then I wouldn’t have anyone to call Grandma and Grandad. to call Grandma and Grandad.
Children’s Voices • What happens when they are dead? They are old people. I get scared and have nightmares. I don’t know what happens when they are dead? dead?
Grandparent’s Voice • Drugs and alcohol still carry stigma. Children are taunted at school and do not get invited in to other children’s homes. I also feel isolated and am not welcomed into a lot of circles with and am not welcomed into a lot of circles with friends my own age.
Children’s Voices • I tell my nana that she needs more help. I wish I could help with money. • My grandparents need help to bring me up. It can be hard for them when I am angry. • I don’t get enough help as I am only 14 years old I don’t get enough help as I am only 14 years old and I am a young father now. My partner is 14 years old too. • We don’t have holidays and I don’t get much pocket money even my nanny has to get my uniform.
Children’s Voices • My nana did not get financial help until I was the age of 14/15. It wasn’t enough as I needed a lot of things at that age. • On friends: On friends: • I would like to meet others because you can come to know them and find out why they live with their grandparents. • I would like to meet at a youth club or centre – NOT SCHOOL
Children’s Voices • I get the mick taken out of me at school • Having their views heard: • No one asks my views. I live with grandparents because my mum can’t look after me properly. because my mum can’t look after me properly. • It makes no difference. I said I wanted to live with my grandma. No one listened. • It would be nice if you carry on helping young children living with grandparents as it is very tough.
Grandparents’ Voices • Would you like to be a foster carer for .........shire? • This advert should make you all apply! This advert should make you all apply!
The Grandparents’ Association Moot House The Stow Harlow, Essex CM20 3AG 01279 428040 01279 428040 Helpline: 0845 434 9585 Welfare Benefits: 0844 357 1033 www.grandparents-association.org.uk Lynn.chesterman@grandparents-association.org.uk
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