Kinship care means that a child is being raised by a member of the wider family when their parents are unable to care for them. Around 200,000 grandparents and other family members in the UK are raising a relative’s child, often because of very difficult family circumstances such as parental drug or alcohol abuse, imprisonment, domestic violence, bereavement or serious illness.
Many family carers face huge difficulties including poverty, lack of support and feelings of stress, isolation and stigma. The children may have experienced trauma or have emotional problems or special needs; many would be in care if their grandparent or other family member had not stepped in.
Relative Experience Project 