Government review to consider employment leave for kinship families

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Cathy Ashley, Chief Executive of Family Rights Group said:

“Kinship families across the country have sent a clear message to Westminster and we are delighted it has been heard. The Government will now include relatives and friends stepping in as kinship carers for children, within the major review of parental leave launched today.

“Kinship carers step up to provide children with a safe and loving home. In doing so they keep children safely in their family, often averting children having to live with strangers in the care system. Outcomes are better for children and save the state millions.

“Research by Family Rights Group has shown 4 in 10 kinship families are forced out of work and into financial hardship, because their children need time to settle in. Sometimes this is at the request of the local authority, presented as an ultimatum to prevent the children going into the care system. Many of the children will have experienced significant tragedy or trauma, and our survey found more than half of kinship carers are caring for a child with additional needs.

“Family Rights Group has long campaigned for a right to paid employment leave for kinship carers akin to that provided to adopters. As well as being what families need, independent research we commissioned from Alma Economics shows that it makes economic sense too. For every £1 spent, £2.20 of benefits would be generated for the Treasury and wider society.

“We will continue to campaign with families to ensure this review delivers the employment rights that all families, including kinship families, need to thrive.”

Kinship carers and employment

Infographic titled 'Kinship care and employment: the numbers' presenting 2024 survey findings. Key statistics include: 34% of kinship carers aged 18–64 are not in paid employment due to caring responsibilities; 42% gave up work completely when taking on the child; 23% reduced working hours; 73% would have taken kinship leave if available; 39% believe the lack of kinship leave negatively impacted them and their ability to care; 37% receive Universal Credit. The image also features a photo of an adult and a young child playing outside.

Our survey data shows why kinship carers need paid employment leave. A third (34%) of kinship carers of working age (18-64) are not currently in employment due to their caring responsibilities. 74% of kinship carers who responded to our survey indicate that they had to change their working pattern when they took on their kinship children, with 42% giving up work completely and 23% reducing their hours.

Notes to Editors:

Family Rights Group’s 2024 research on the employment experiences of kinship families can be found here: Same love, same leave – Family Rights Group

For further information, please contact jhall@frg.org.uk or call 07929411329

About Family Rights Group

Family Rights Group is the leading national charity working to ensure the child welfare system supports children to live safely and thrive within their family. We also work to strengthen the family and community networks of those children who cannot live at home.

Our free specialist advice service supports parents and kinship carers in England, helping them to understand their rights and options.

We pioneer innovative child welfare practices including family group conferences.

We set up the Kinship Care Alliance and co-led the first ever Parliamentary Taskforce on Kinship Care. We now service the All Party Parliamentary Group on Kinship Care

For 50 years, our legal, policy and campaigning work has influenced developments in the child welfare system. For example, we secured important changes for kinship families including an exemption from the two-child tax credit rule and a 2023 extension to legal aid for some prospective kinship carers.