2. The Pilot Project A guide and resource booklet for Kinship Carers Available as an online resource and contained within a pack that can be easily updated
3. Why? “They make you feel so stupid and so sometimes I just agreed to what they were saying in order to get the meeting over and done with.” “I just felt so lost, I didn’t know where or who to turn to until I found out about kinship carer support groups.”
7. Design of the Resource Guide cont Contents Assessment, guidance & support for kinship carers by the Local Authority Benefit information for kinship carer Legal rights and responsibilities of kinship carers List of support agencies for kinship carers and their children
8. Problems Faced Lack of consistency within the local authorities of treatment of kinship carers Different types of kinship carers – “looked after” - “non- looked after” - informal relationships Lack of consistency for financial entitlements in all of the local authorities Lack of understanding of the role of kinship carers by local authorities, government and key agencies Differences of opinion by kinship carers & professionals of what is important So much important information which needed to be included Resource needs a personal touch
9. New Resource Guide Glossary to explain jargon Colour coded sections for 3 types of kinship carers Process of assessment & support for each Benefit information for each Case studies for all Legal rights and responsibilities for each Useful info and national support services
10. The Launch
11. Feedback Kinship Carers Professionals Fantastic resource Informative and well written Eye catching, clear and easy to understand Wide ranging with tight timescales All our views have been listened to A difficult task but undertaken well “This is exciting this is the start of something new. I just wish I had this when I started out” “This project highlights the problems in Scotland around kinship care”
12. Lessons Learned for Scotland There is a lack of awareness of what is a kinship carer? There is a clear lack of recognition of the role of kinship care by the Scottish Government and Local Authorities There is clear inconsistency across Scotland of the support, procedures and guidance for kinship carers There is a clear lack of resources and support for kinship carers who are classed as “non looked after” and informal kinship carers Clear inconsistencies between similar supporting agencies in providing advice to kinship carers The resource has generated interest from other local authorities who now wish to use it – option for LA to have localised resources for their kinship carers
