Research finds introducing paid employment leave for kinship carers would deliver economic benefits

Family Rights Group has published new survey data on the experiences of kinship carers in the job market, and an independent economic assessment of introducing paid kinship employment leave.

The survey found that four in ten kinship carers had to give up work, and two in ten had to reduce their working hours when taking on their kinship child. This pushes many into poverty.

Kinship carers are relatives and friends who step up when children cannot remain with their parents. They provide love and care to children who may otherwise be living with strangers in the care system.

The children have often come to live with the relative or friend as a result of tragedy and trauma. Kinship carers often have to settle a child into a new school alongside managing health appointments and the demands of children’s services involvement and court proceedings. In contrast to adopters, kinship carers are not entitled to paid employment leave when the child comes to live with them.

The charity has commissioned Alma Economics to carry out a cost-benefit analysis of introducing kinship care leave.

The analysis shows that introducing an equivalent entitlement to adoption leave and pay for all kinship carers would save the Treasury and wider economy £2.20 for every £1 invested. It would help kinship carers to stay in work and thus reduce reliance on the benefit system. In the first year, this policy would require an investment of almost £629 million and would return approximately £945 million. Costs decrease and benefits increase over subsequent years.

The charity is campaigning for kinship carers to have an entitlement to paid employment leave akin to adopters. This would help more kinship carers to stay in work, as they would be able to take time off to adjust to their new family life, without risking their job.

Liberal Democrat MPs, Munira Wilson (Vice Chair of the APPG on Kinship Care), Steve Darling and Sarah Gibson have tabled amendments to the Employment Rights Bill in a bid to persuade the Government to introduce paid kinship care leave.