Kinship Care Policy engagement

Read more about this engagement.

We asked

We asked you to help us update our Kinship Care policy and contribute to the design and delivery of our services to carers.

You said

We issued a questionnaire for kinship carers and one for kinship children. A total of 25 carer questionnaires and 5 children and young people questionnaires were completed. We also invited seven carers (special guardians) to conversations lasting between 1 and 1.5 hours. In these conversations we talked about:

• Assessments
• Family group decision making
• The financial assessment and annual review
• The different types of support we offer carers

Carers told us:

• the assessment is a very difficult experience to go through at a difficult time for families. Carers noted that having:
  1. clear, consistent and timely communication throughout the process.
  2. a good understanding of the process and of the reality of becoming a carer.
  3. peer support provided early.

was key to help make the assessment experience easier.

• during assessment it was helpful to experience ‘good practice’ from practitioners: meaning the experience of interacting with not judgmental, patient practitioners; those making an effort to understand the carer and convey respect for their views -i.e. “double checking [with carer] what goes in a report.”
• About their financial worries, the difficulties in navigating the benefit system and the impact of the cost of living crisis. Some felt very strongly that it was unfair to means test the financial allowance special guardians receive, others spoke of the burden of the yearly financial review.
• When talking about engaging wider-family resources for the benefit of the child via family group decision making, many carers fully welcomed this, yet others worried that it would impose a ‘burden’ on family members who could not be reasonably expected to help.
• Barnet should play a role in bringing families together to make alternative arrangements to care for the child/ren in case the carer becomes unwell.
• The support most highly valued by carers was having ongoing light-touch contact, communication and guidance once they became carers, the provision of information and advice, having an allocated practitioner and therapeutic support.

We did

• We wrote the new ‘Barnet Kinship Care Offer’ to address carers’ ask for clear information. The Offer:
  1. has a new and expanded focus on the assessment process (pgs. 6-12) to reflect this feedback and aims to be a practical guide for carers at the time of assessment.
  2. details support offered to the different types of kinship carer on general support by practitioners, training, advice and peer groups; family group decision making; legal support, financial support, education, support to stay in work, therapeutic support, advocacy, accommodation, supporting family time.

• We did away with the means test for financial support.
• We will offer family group decision making (such as via Family Group Conferences) to consult family networks early and often.
• We commit to undertake assessments of prospective carers:
  1. focusing on the child and on their views;
  2. with an open mind, curiosity and a desire to know and understand you;
  3. in a spirit of partnership with you and your family.
  4. Setting out in our report your views and feelings as you tell us.
  5. Including the views of others close to you such as immediate family, friends and agencies.
• We will:
  1. design and develop a peer support system for Special Guardians to be able to draw on the support of other carers with lived experience from as early as possible during the process of becoming a kinship carer.
  2. review our safeguarding processes and practices in relation to kinship care to address internal and external communications and of how well integrated kinship care practice is in the safeguarding system to ensure an improved experience for kinship carers.

• In addition to the contact and support provided to special guardians via at least three visits during the first year of the legal order being established, we will ensure that support continues with yearly ‘staying in touch’ meetings. This will be to provide ‘light-touch’ contact for carers and children and to reassure the Council of their ongoing wellbeing.