Are you a formal or informal Kinship Carer?

“As a Kinship carer, it’s important to know why this matters, most carers are unaware and this needs CHANGE through communication”

What is a formal Kinship care arrangement?

A formal Kinship care arrangement is when the local authority places the child/children in your care.

                                       What is an informal Kinship care arrangement? 

An informal arrangement is when an arrangement is made between you and the wider family or biological parent it does not involve the local authority at the start of the placement.

                               How does the support differ for Formal/Informal Carers?  

As a Kinship carer with a formal arrangement, the local authority has a duty of care to support you and the child you care for. This means the child is “looked after” by the local authority. They can offer a wide range of support such as financial support, respite care, help with facilitating contact between the child and birth parents, and help with legal costs if you are needed to obtain a court order to achieve long-term stability for the looked after child. The informal arrangement differs in this way, the child is not usually “looked after” during an informal arrangement. You can still explore avenues of support, but they may not come directly from the local authority. You are not officially entitled to financial support but may be able to claim for the child using welfare benefits.

Can an informal arrangement obtain a court order?

An Informal arrangement can still obtain a court order, but you may have to insist on help financially to do so. There are ways to push for this, especially if you can prove a “court order” is needed to maintain longer-term stability for the child. The local authority will inform you, you are entitled to 30 minutes of free legal advice. Click the “useful links” button below for more information on legal advice.

The next blog will be exploring the 10 things new carers can expect with their placement. Thank you for reading and please feel free to share your experiences on this platform.