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A kinship carer or connected person is someone who is not a family member or parent but cares for a child. This can happen at any time but is often to stop a child from being taken into foster care.
If you are considering caring for a child that is not your own then it is extremely important that you take legal advice about the situation.
Getting legal advice
You may need advice about:
- Talking to Children’s Services if you are worried about a child • Talking to someone about asking for a child to come and live with you
- Whether or not you need to make an application to the Court
- What support may be offered to you by Children’s Services and other organisations.
In some circumstances, where Children’s Services are involved in placing a child in your care you may need to be assessed as a foster carer.
It is crucial to take legal advice at an early stage in a situation where you may be thinking about caring for a child or even if you are already caring for that child. The rules about the support you may get are very complex and it is important that you receive expert advice.
Kinship carers allowance
As a kinship carer or connected person, you may receive financial support for caring for a child whether or not you are a foster carer.
We have a wealth of experience in representing family members and friends involved in a situation where they may be taking on the care of a child.
Our award-winning team includes 6 Law Society Children Panel members. These Solicitors are accredited by the Law Society as specialists in this area of law. If you need advice please contact our team at either our Newcastle or South Shields office.
