NEWSROOM

Kinship care is when children are cared for by members of their extended families, friends or other people who are connected with them, for a variety of reasons, and in different arrangements. This could be for a short period of time while family members have support to make changes or over a longer-term arrangement.

There are more than 30 people providing kinship care to children and young people across the Borough.

In line with national statutory guidance and in response to what many local kinships carers have told us they need, a new kinship care local offer has been published after members of the Council’s cabinet voted in support of the new kinship care offer earlier this month.

The new local offer, which has been co-produced with the Borough’s kinship carers and local partners sets out the services and support available to children and young people, parents and kinship carers.

It aims to ensure the children and young people cared for in kinship care arrangements are able to thrive and can experience the best possible outcomes.

The local offer has been published on the new Kinship Telford website, which also have has a wealth of information, including details of events for kinship carers.

Councillor Shirley Reynolds, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said:

“While it is important we do all we can to keep children with their birth parents where this is considered safe, it’s not always possible. Quite often family members such as grandparents, aunts or uncles or a family friend will step in to care for a child when this is in their best interests.

“This type of arrangement can offer many benefits to children but also can pose challenges which require meaningful support at the right time by the right organisation.

“To ensure our kinship care local offer can meet the needs of carers and the children in their care, it has been shaped by robust research, grounded in nationally recognised best practice, and co-designed in collaboration with kinship carers and partners.

“We are committed to working with kinship families to ensure every child in Telford and Wrekin has the opportunity to thrive in a loving, connected home.

“The local offer will now be embedded across the authority, and I would encourage anyone cared for within a kinship care arrangement to visit the new Kinship Telford website to find out more about information. Together, we care, together we build stronger families, together our children are cared for and cared about.”

The new Kinship Telford website, which includes the local offer, is now available to visit.