Kinship Care

Kinship Care is the care of children by their extended family or a close friend of the family. It includes children who are looked after by the local authority and arrangements that are made privately between family members without local authority involvement.

Where a child in kinship care is 'Looked After' by the local authority, then the local authority has particular duties towards them. These duties are further detailed in the Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009.

Kinship Carers will be required to participate in an assessment process to identify them as Approved Kinship Carers. Approved Kinship Carers are eligible for the Kinship Care Allowance, which in South Lanarkshire Council will be paid at a flat weekly rate per child.

Kinship carers are also entitled to sound financial advice and should be supported to seek independent legal advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau - Kinship Care in Scotland.

Staff can find more information about Kinship Care in downloads.