Each Local Authority has the ability to support Kinship Carers with some of the initial costs for taking on the care of a child, these supports and resources will help the child and family to thrive. Kinship Carers are often unprepared for the child arriving to stay with them. They often have nothing in terms of clothing, toiletries, bed, bedding, toys and nappies, prams and cots for smaller children and babies. Find your Local Authority here: Find your council and constituency boundaries – mygov.scot
There are other sources of support available for Kinship families when in need of financial and practical support.
Local Authorities – Have the power to make discretionary payments to meet partial or full costs of the needs of the Kinship Family. Kinship Carers are encouraged to initially ask the local authority for support in accessing those items they require to ensure the child coming into their care is comfortable and safe.
There will be times when there are additional financial requirements for Kinship families and again the local authority should be contacted and asked for help in meeting these needs.
Food banks – Where Kinship Carers are struggling to provide food for the family each local authority has access to food banks and a referral can be made by the local authority or any other agency working with the family to access this support. The Trussell trust has a webpage detailing the locations of its foodbanks: Find a Food Bank – The Trussell Trust
The Scottish Welfare fund – This fund is operated by each local authority and a crisis grant can be applied for to help meet the immediate needs of the family. This is applied for via the local authority and the applicant needs to be on a low income. More information can be found here: Crisis Grants – mygov.scot or on your local authority website.
School clothing and Free school meals – Kinship Carers may be able to apply for help with school clothing and free school meals (all primary 1-5 children are entitled to free school meals) by contacting the child’s school or by completing an application form on the council’s website. Kinship Carers will need to meet the local authority’s criteria to receive this support. More information can be found here: https://www.mygov.scot/clothing-grants and https://www.mygov.scot/school-meals
Third sector – organisations can also help Kinship families where they are facing difficulties, click here to find out what is available in your local authority area.
Continuing Care and After Care – Reaching the age of 16 or approaching 16 can be a pivotal time for children in Kinship Care and there may be lots of uncertainties as to what the future holds. Children in Kinship Care who reach the age of 16 and are still classed as “Looked After” may be entitled to Continuing Care and After Care support. Scotland’s Continuing Care and After Care forum (Staf) is Scotland’s national membership organisation for all of those involved in the lives of young people leaving care. They have produced a toolkit on their website which the Kinship Carer and the young person in their care may find informative and can be viewed here: Kinship Care (therealtoolkit.scot) it will take you to a specific page for Kinship Care with lots of links to other relevant areas. If there are any questions, please get in touch with the service as this can be a confusing and often challenging time for families.
The local authority will also be able to offer some information and support at this time.
Care Experienced Bursaries – Young people who have lived in Kinship Care and previously been “Looked After” may be entitled to a Care Experienced Bursary, if they are continuing their education and studying for any eligible Full-time Course including Higher National Certificate (HNC), Higher National Diploma (HND), Degree, PGDE (a course you study after your degree that qualifies you to teach). Separate funding packages are available for Nursing and Midwifery and Postgraduate courses. Care experienced bursaries are also available in further education (so called “non advanced course”). Further information can be viewed on the Student Awards Agency Scotland website at Support for Care Experienced students – SAAS
Contact KCASS for support with any financial enquiries and our experienced staff will offer help, support and sign post to other relevant supports where appropriate.
Other agencies who can help include your local Citizens Advice Bureau and you can locate your nearest bureau here: Bureaux | Citizens Advice Scotland (cas.org.uk)
