Types of kinship care

There are different types of care that would fall under the term ‘kinship carer’. These are all dependant on how the child or young person came to be in your care. What support you will receive will be dependent on the type of arrangement in place, however, there is always support from the local authority should you find yourself requiring this, so please do speak with us.

The key types of care fall under these categories:

Informal kinship arrangement

An informal kinship arrangement is a private arrangement between you and the parents. These do not need to be agreed by the local authority. You do not have parental responsibility with this arrangement.

Private fostering

Private fostering is where a child or young person below the age of 16 (18 for children or young people with disabilities), remains in your care for over 28 days. Where you also are not an immediate family member such as, a grandparent, aunt, uncle or a stepparent via marriage.

The local authority have to assess you as a suitable carer for this arrangement and on-going social care support will be offered for as long as the arrangement is in place.

You do not hold parental responsibility with this arrangement.

‘Live with’ child arrangement order that is granted to those other than parents

This is where a child or young person lives with you and you have been to court and have been granted a child arrangement order (CAO).

It is likely the local authority would have been asked to complete an assessment for court, to be granted this order.

You share parental responsibility with parent with this arrangement.

Special guardianship order

This is where a child or young person is living with you and the courts have granted a special guardianship order. The local authority have a duty to complete the assessment for court and only a court can grant such an order.

You will have greater parental responsibility than the parents. The parents still retain their parental responsibility and should be consulted, where safe to do so, regarding decision making.

Family and friends fostering

This is where a child or young person is living with you. You have either been temporarily approved or fully approved as a Derby foster carer to offer care for the specific child or young person.

The local authority would have had significant safeguarding concerns regarding the child or young person being with their parents and would have sought a court order to make the child or young person looked after via an interim care order or a care order.

You do not have parental responsibility under this arrangement, parents and the local authority share parental responsibility.

The NSPCC website has some useful information and defines a child who is looked after as: a child who has been in the care of their local authority for more than 24 hours is known as a looked after child.

Looked after children are also often referred to as children in care, a term which many children and young people prefer. Visit Children in care (looked after children): NSPCC Learning.

You can also find information regarding different orders and arrangements on the Government website.

If you find yourselves needing legal advice you can for free speak to Community Legal Advice Service - Derby Law School - University of Derby. Email familyclinic@derby.ac.uk.