Grandparents
Plus is the only national charity (England and Wales) dedicated to supporting
kinship carers – family and friends raising children who aren't able to live
with their parents. It is estimated that
there are 200,000 children in kinship carer. That’s three times the number of
children in foster care - and it is increasing.
Typically, kinship carers are
older, in poor health and live in poverty – 75% of children in kinship care are
growing up in deprived households. Of the children growing up in kinship care
66% have experienced abuse or neglect, 68% parental drug or alcohol misuse and
others a parent’s mental illness or death.
The support available to
kinship carers is much more limited than that given to foster carers or adopted
carers. Many kinship carers are pushed to breaking point and are worried that
they won’t be able to continue. If that happens, they may be forced to put the
children they are raising into care.
Through our
advice service and network, we help kinship carers by providing support, giving
independent guidance, and connecting them with each other. Our programmes
are developed with kinship carers for kinship carers, and are changing lives by
strengthening families across the country.
