Kinship Care

Tower Hamlets is committed to ensuring that of those children unable to live at home, as many as possible are cared within their own community and/or family. The Children Act 1989 encourages placement of that child with a person connected with that child: a family member or relative, or ‘other suitable person’ unless ‘it would be reasonably impracticable or inconsistent with his/her welfare’ [s23 (6)]. These carers are often referred to as Family and Friends Carers. The Kinship Care Team aims to provide these carers with support, as their needs would be different to those who are foster carers or adopters.

Who are family and friends carers?

When their parents or their primary carer cannot look after children, they are placed with a member of the family or a friend. A friend can be someone who is known to the family or a friend of the young person. Whether a friend or family member can look after a child would depend on the age, relationship and circumstances of the potential carer. The Kinship Care Team would carry out an assessment.