Do you know about the work of the Kinship Care Alliance?

Shanayd’s kinship care story

“Going through my kinship journey, I felt isolated and scared, like a lone wolf. Although I was working with professionals daily, I felt no one understood or cared about the nuances and complexities I had to navigate.

That changed when I was invited to an awayday held by the Adoption and Special Guardian Leadership Board – an advisory group which brought together charities and local authorities to make improvements in the adoption system and support for special guardianship. This was the first time I met members of the Kinship Care Alliance who represent organisations involved with kinship care.

For the first time I was asked to speak about my lived experience, giving my perception on how the system could be improved to better support kinship families.

I felt ignited to be amongst people who understood my journey. Since then I worked diligently to support the work of the Kinship Care Alliance and am now its co-chair.

Children who can’t live with their parents deserve to grow up with their family

The Kinship Care Alliance firmly believes that children unable to live with their parents deserve to grow up within their family – not as an afterthought, but as the first, properly resourced option. But we recognise that despite its proven benefits, kinship care is often overlooked in recognition, funding and strategic support.

The core values and beliefs of the Kinship Care Alliance guide everything we do: promoting exploring family and friends as a first port of call, improving equitable support for kinship families and listening to and learning from them so that policy reflects lived experience. We recognise that our children’s lives, mental health, education, and future are ultimately at stake.

When kinship care works well

When kinship care works well fewer children are moved around, causing fewer broken attachments. This results in more stability and feelings of belonging and love. Children benefit from less trauma, improved support and better mental health outcomes.

I am proud that the Kinship Care Alliance’s work earnt us the opportunity to engage with the children’s minister on real-life challenges kinship families face and to be able to urge faster, and clearer delivery on commitments that affect kinship carers now.

In 2023 the government published the first ever National Kinship Care strategy setting out their investment to improve outcomes for kinship families. That strategy provides an expectation and promises. We must be committed to hold the government to account.

Amplifying kinship voices

When I reflect on all the things I’ve done with the Kinship Care Alliance there are special events I recall with pride. One was our awayday where kinship children and young people were given the opportunity to highlight their priorities which were stability, identity, education and access to support.

Amplifying those young people’s voices was not only symbolic; it ensured our asks to government and implementation plans responded to what children themselves said they needed to thrive.

My second memory was representing the Kinship Care Alliance at a roundtable discussion on kinship care – where I was invited to give evidence to MPs and Ministers. This was so essential as by inviting those with lived experience to speak to Parliamentary forums, it creates an opportunity to transform our experiences into legitimate legislative reforms.

Pushing for better support for kinship families

We all need to push the kinship agenda even harder as although the kinship strategy has parts which seem ambitious, to date the proposed funding lacks matching the rhetoric – specifically scaling up the financial support for all kinship families.

The kinship local offer has, in many areas, simply replaced, their friends and family policy. As different authorities engage with this new process it heightens our fear that kinship carers will be subject to a ‘postcode lottery’ in accessing services and support. Not seeking equitable distribution of services and improved support and not encouraging the involvement of the voices of kinship families.

Your kinship stories, insights and experiences at the forefront

In Kinship Care Week 2025 I want my fellow carers to feel that your experiences are valued, and your roles recognised. I would encourage you to speak out, if you wish to, as your story, insights, and experiences must be at the forefront of the next steps to improve provisions for kinship families in both local and national implementation.

We’re at a turning point to introducing meaningful and tangible improvements to strengthen family networks and give children the best chance to thrive. The kinship strategy can be more than just words – it can become a system that honours families, protects children, and strengthens communities.”

Shanayd is a member of Family Rights Group’s kinship carers’s panel, and co-chair of the Kinship Care Alliance.