Richard Arnold learns about kinship care

This final episode in the current series is all about kinship care.  This is when caring responsibilities for a child are taken on by extended family or friends because parents are unable to play that role any longer.

There are many reasons why children end up in such arrangements, it could be as a result of a bereavement or ill health, or because parents are having problems with drugs or alcohol. There are estimated to be around 180,000 children in these arrangements in the UK, but the rights and responsibilities of kinship carers is a complex area, and sometimes there is very little support available. It is often grandparents that take on the role, and they may be on low incomes and struggling themselves. The children will have had some difficult experiences in their lives, and this can add to a very challenging situation for their new carers. Nevertheless,  the outcomes for children in these arrangements are reported as better than for those in statutory care. So, it is a vital way for children to be cared for at a critical time, and those that take on the role deserve recognition for what they do.

Joining TV presenter and journalist Richard Arnold to explore this important but underreported area further are Alec Robertson from the Kinship Support Team at Edinburgh Council and John Hamilton, Grants Development Officer for Buttle UK.