Kinship care

Kinship care is when a child lives full time or most of the time with a relative or friend who isn’t their parent, usually because their parents aren’t able to care for them. That relative or friend is called a “Kinship Carer”.

For many kinship carers, it would be best for the child that a Kinship Care Order is sought using Section 11 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995. However, it is always best to discuss the implications of the different types of kinship care provisions to ensure that these are tailored specifically to the needs of the child and the circumstances of their kinship carer.

We work extensively across Scotland in securing kinship care orders and can guide you through the requirements of the court in achieving successful outcomes for you and the child in your care.

There are different types of kinship care:

• children who may be living in an informal arrangement made by their parents,
• children “looked after” by the local authority and placed with kinship and also
• children who are subject to Permanence Orders and who are placed with kinship carers.

There are often other important issues that need to be considered along with kinship care orders such as contact with a parent, sibling contact and whether a parent ought to retain some or any of their parental rights and responsibilities and also the implications of any Compulsory Supervision Order coming to an end once a kinship care order is made. It is best to take legal advice on these issues as soon as possible.