Kinship Care

What is Kinship Care?

Kinship care is when a child is raised by a family member or close family friend who steps in to care for them when they cannot live with their parents.

The Virtual School's Role

The Virtual School has an extended duty to promote the educational achievement of children in kinship arrangements. This means we can:

• Provide advice, guidance and information to kinship carers, schools and professionals.
• Promote educational engagement, attendance and attainment.
• Signpost families to appropriate services and sources of support.
• Encourage partnership working between carers, schools and other agencies.

The Virtual School does not have a statutory role to monitor, track or provide direct casework for individual children.

Further Support: Kinship

Kinship is the leading kinship care charity in England and Wales, providing information, advice, training and support for kinship carers regardless of the legal order in place.
They offer:

• Free online workshops on topics such as ‘Supporting your kinship child at school’, ‘Understanding trauma and attachment in children’, ‘Education, health and care plans (EHCPs) and SEND processes’ and many more. 
• Peer support groups to connect with other kinship carers.
• Kinship Compass, helping families find services and support in their local area.
• Support, advice and someone to talk to via the Advice Line (Monday-Friday, 9.30am-2.00pm): 0300 123 7015

Find out more:

• Website: www.kinship.org.uk