York celebrates the work of its amazing carers during Kinship Carers Week (6-12 October)

Kinship Care Week (6-12 October) is a national week of awareness, recognition and celebration of kinship families.

Kinship care is when a child who cannot be raised by their parents lives with a relative or a close, connected adult, such as a friend or neighbour, instead of being placed into foster care or children’s home.

Kinship Care arrangements can be formal, such as when the council places a child with the adult, or informal, where parents make their own private arrangements. Kinship care is an alternative that aims to keep children within their familiar networks, providing them with stability and a sense of belonging

In York, around 80 children and young people are cared for by kinship carers, providing them with a secure, loving home.

Gemma, a local kinship carer, explained: “You might not have planned on bringing up someone else’s child, but it is the most rewarding duty you can do to bring a child up in your loving and safe home.”

Cllr Bob Webb, City of York Council’s Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “Our kinship carers play a vital role in York in raising children in caring, nurturing homes, which we really value.

“They are part of York’s wider fostering family and provide an important role in giving children a loving home. Kinship Carers are vitally important in providing the safe and stable home environments children and young people need to develop and thrive, whether that be within existing family or community networks.

“I’d like to thank all our amazing kinship and foster carers for their tireless dedication and commitment to children and young people in York and would urge anyone who’s considering fostering in any form to get in touch.”

To find out more about fostering, including Kinship Care, visit https://fostering.york.gov.uk/