Kinship carers play a vital role in providing children with safe, loving and stable homes. When children are unable to live with their parents, they often achieve better outcomes if they can remain connected to family members or trusted people who are already part of their lives.
Kinship care is any arrangement where a child is raised by a relative, friend, or someone with a significant connection to them when they cannot live with their parents.
Kinship carers may include:
Different legal arrangements provide different levels of support and responsibility.
We will:
North Yorkshire Council is currently undertaking a review of its Kinship Strategy to ensure full alignment with the emerging Families First Partnership Programme guidance.
We believe kinship families are best placed to know what matters most for their children.
Our role is to listen, value lived experience, and work in partnership with families. Through a strengths-based and relationship-centred approach, we will help families build on what is already working, access the right support at the right time, and develop the confidence, knowledge and networks needed to thrive.
We are committed to providing the best possible support for children living in kinship care and for the family members and friends who care for them.
This webpage sets out the support currently available in North Yorkshire. We recognise that our full Kinship Local Offer is still being developed following the introduction of new national expectations for local authorities.
Over the coming months we will continue to work with kinship carers, children, families and partner organisations to strengthen and expand our offer. As this work progresses, this page will be updated to reflect new support, services and information.
We recognise the incredible commitment, love and stability that kinship carers provide, often stepping forward to care for a child during times of significant change. Our aim is to ensure that kinship families receive the support, information and practical help they need to thrive and provide children with safe, stable and nurturing homes. Thank you for caring for a child within your family or friendship network.
We recognise the vital role that kinship carers play in providing children with safe, loving and stable homes. Children who are unable to live with their parents often achieve better outcomes when they can remain connected to people they know and trust.
This Local Offer sets out the support available to kinship carers and children living in kinship care arrangements in North Yorkshire.
The information is intended for:
In North Yorkshire co-production and participation means a working collaboration with:
We will seek:
We are committed to reviewing and continuously improving our offer with families.
Where a child lives with relatives or family friends by agreement with the parents.
The local authority does not hold parental responsibility, and financial support is generally not available, although families may access universal and targeted services.
A Child Arrangements Order determines where a child lives and may provide carers with parental responsibility for decisions about the child's upbringing.
Support may include:
A Special Guardianship Order gives carers enhanced parental responsibility until the child reaches 18.
Support may include:
Where relatives or family friends are approved as foster carers for a child who is looked after by the local authority.
Support includes:
Kinship carers can request an assessment of support needs where eligible.
Email: fostering@northyorks.gov.uk
Tel: 01609 534 654
Kinship care is assessed in relation to a specific child.
We welcome feedback from children, young people and kinship carers.
To provide feedback or make a complaint: cyps.contactus@northyorks.gov.uk