A new poll has revealed that a significant majority of children raised by kinship carers are struggling to access vital mental health support. The survey, conducted by the charity Kinship, found that 60.1% of 1,036 carers reported that the children in their care are not receiving the mental health assistance needed to address their trauma.
Kinship carers, often grandparents, aunts, uncles, or close family friends, step in when parents are unable to provide care. Without tailored support, these families face a 'real risk' of breakdown, potentially pushing more vulnerable children into the formal care system.
The charity's annual poll also highlighted a sharp rise in difficulties managing children's challenging behaviour, jumping from 52% in 2022 to 66% this year. Some 13% of respondents expressed doubts about their ability to continue providing care, with almost three-quarters (71%) attributing these struggles to the complex social, emotional, and mental health needs of the children.
Lucy Peake, chief executive of Kinship, said: 'Our latest evidence shows that the current mental health support for kinship children who have suffered high levels of trauma is not working. Kinship carers keep thousands of kinship children safe within loving families, but they can’t make their pain vanish.'
Earlier this year, the Government launched a consultation on plans to reform mental health support for adoptive and eligible kinship families, including changes to the adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF). However, Kinship said the consultation does not go far enough, noting that just 11% of eligible kinship families are receiving ASGSF-funded therapy compared to 50% of adoptive families.
The survey comes after the Government launched a pilot scheme to pay kinship carers in seven areas of the country known as Kinship Zones. The Department for Education estimates that around 5,000 youngsters and their families could benefit from the £126 million investment.
