Kinship Care & grandparent kinship Kinship Care & grandparent kinship carers: messages from research carers: messages from research

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Oprah Winfrey

Morgan Freeman

Who has been brought up in kinship care?

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Barack Obama

Pierce Brosnan

Tammy Wynette Al Pacino my cousin

Aims of my presentationAims of my presentation

1.1. To highlight key research findingsTo highlight key research findings

2.2. To discuss the impact on grandparents To discuss the impact on grandparents of being a 24/7 kinship carerof being a 24/7 kinship carer

3.3. To examine what services help?To examine what services help?

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3.3. To examine what services help?To examine what services help?

4.4. To argue that the government's To argue that the government's approach to supporting kinship care is approach to supporting kinship care is indicative of its take on Big Society indicative of its take on Big Society

Section One Section One Kinship CareKinship Care--A A multiplicity of amultiplicity of arrangementsrrangements

•• Fostered by family or friendFostered by family or friend•• Special guardianshipSpecial guardianship•• Residence orderResidence order

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•• Residence orderResidence order•• Family network supportFamily network support

•• Informal kinship careInformal kinship care--no known to LASno known to LAS

Recent changesRecent changes--CYPA CYPA 2008 & kinship care 2008 & kinship care

•• TheThe restriction on the local authority restriction on the local authority providing financial assistance only in providing financial assistance only in exceptional circumstances (CYPA, exceptional circumstances (CYPA, 1989, S 17) 1989, S 17) has been removedhas been removed

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1989, S 17) 1989, S 17) has been removedhas been removed

•• The rights of relatives to apply for a The rights of relatives to apply for a RO or SGO are extended RO or SGO are extended without without needing the court’s permissionneeding the court’s permission

Managing care proceedings Managing care proceedings and new guidanceand new guidance

•• The Court protocol for managing care The Court protocol for managing care proceedings, known as the Public Law Outline proceedings, known as the Public Law Outline (2008) to local authorities requires family and (2008) to local authorities requires family and friends care options to be explored before friends care options to be explored before

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friends care options to be explored before friends care options to be explored before care proceedings are started.care proceedings are started.

•• Statutory guidance for family and friends Statutory guidance for family and friends England published in March 2010. Wales and England published in March 2010. Wales and other UK countries to produce their own.other UK countries to produce their own.

CLA in Wales by placement CLA in Wales by placement year ending 31 March 2010 (5,160)year ending 31 March 2010 (5,160)

63%

16%

9%

4%4% 4%

77

Non relative foster placement

FF foster placement

Placed with own parents or other with parental responsilbility

Children's Homes

Placed for Adoption

Other

Who are the carers? Who are the carers? N=30N=30

10

12

14

16

great grandparent

88

0

2

4

6

8

10 great grandparent

grandparent

aunt/uncle

friend of family

Key Issues for kinship carersKey Issues for kinship carers

•• Emotional and relationship costsEmotional and relationship costs

•• Financial costsFinancial costs

•• Physical costs for older kinship carersPhysical costs for older kinship carers

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•• Physical costs for older kinship carersPhysical costs for older kinship carers

•• Managing contact with birth parentsManaging contact with birth parents

•• Worrying about the futureWorrying about the future

Reasons children in kinship careReasons children in kinship care

12

14

16

18

20

Substance misuse

1010

0

2

4

6

8

10

12 Neglect/physicalabuse

Death of parent

Mental healthparents

N=30

15

10

20

KEY THEMES for young people in kinship care (n=20)

1111

0

5

Feelings about current living situation

Contact with family

Feelings about safety

Change in living situation

Sense of identity

Negatives Negatives --from children from children living in kinship careliving in kinship care

•• Limits on freedom inside/outside the houseLimits on freedom inside/outside the house•• Financial hardshipFinancial hardship•• Transition to independence Transition to independence •• Lack of understanding about their placementsLack of understanding about their placements

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•• Lack of understanding about their placementsLack of understanding about their placements•• Loss and change Loss and change -- adjusting to 2 householdsadjusting to 2 households•• Contact issues re parents and siblingsContact issues re parents and siblings

Positives Positives --from children living in from children living in kinship cakinship carere

•• Good to be ‘rescued’ from LA careGood to be ‘rescued’ from LA care•• Feel safe and safer than beforeFeel safe and safer than before•• Can maintain family, siblings and friends relationships Can maintain family, siblings and friends relationships •• Feel more settled, loved, cared forFeel more settled, loved, cared for

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•• Feel more settled, loved, cared forFeel more settled, loved, cared for

•• Family supports /more committed toFamily supports /more committed to education / education / ambition / achievementsambition / achievements

•• Sustain selfSustain self––esteem, identity & racial heritageesteem, identity & racial heritage•• Feeling safe with grandmotherFeeling safe with grandmother

Q Understanding impact on grandparents’ lives ?Q Understanding impact on grandparents’ lives ?

What works in kinship care ? What works in kinship care ? Measuring outcomesMeasuring outcomes

Measures usedMeasures used

•• Placement stabilityPlacement stability

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•• Placement stabilityPlacement stability

•• Placement quality Placement quality

•• Relationship qualityRelationship quality

•• Child wellChild well--beingbeing

(Hunt et al, 2008)(Hunt et al, 2008)

Protective FactorsProtective Factors

Protective factors associated with Protective factors associated with better outcomesbetter outcomes--the following were the following were statistically significant variablesstatistically significant variables in in terms of providing placement terms of providing placement stabilitystability

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stabilitystability

•• Placement with grandparent, child’s Placement with grandparent, child’s acceptance of care, younger children acceptance of care, younger children in the household (Hunt et al , 2008)in the household (Hunt et al , 2008)

•• What about the impact on Grandparents?What about the impact on Grandparents?

Section TwoSection Two‘‘Grandparents Voices’Grandparents Voices’

Research Project for the Research Project for the Grandparents AssociationGrandparents Association

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Three groups of grandThree groups of grand--parents in the parents in the Grandparents Voices studyGrandparents Voices study•• Those who were kinship carers*Those who were kinship carers*

•• Those who provided significant levels of child Those who provided significant levels of child care (30+ hours per week) care (30+ hours per week)

•• Those who were denied access to their grandThose who were denied access to their grand--•• Those who were denied access to their grandThose who were denied access to their grand--childrenchildren

•• The research was promoted on the The research was promoted on the

www. begrand.net grandparents web site as well www. begrand.net grandparents web site as well as through direct mailings, GPA, FRGas through direct mailings, GPA, FRG

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Prior Situation and Court Order Prior Situation and Court Order •• 70% of the grandchild’s birth parents were previously 70% of the grandchild’s birth parents were previously living apart prior to their child being placed with their living apart prior to their child being placed with their grandparents in kinship care grandparents in kinship care

•• It was much more likely that the grandchildren were It was much more likely that the grandchildren were living with their mother (42% of cases) than with living with their mother (42% of cases) than with both parents (22%) or their son (2%) prior to living in both parents (22%) or their son (2%) prior to living in living with their mother (42% of cases) than with living with their mother (42% of cases) than with both parents (22%) or their son (2%) prior to living in both parents (22%) or their son (2%) prior to living in kinship care. kinship care.

•• 75% subject to a court order of which 65% had 75% subject to a court order of which 65% had Residence Orders, 21% had SGOs and 9% looked Residence Orders, 21% had SGOs and 9% looked after in relative foster care.after in relative foster care.

•• The research study highlights the supports needed The research study highlights the supports needed by those groups by those groups

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What are the reasons for these What are the reasons for these grandchildren being in kinship care?grandchildren being in kinship care?

The highest ranked answers, in rank order The highest ranked answers, in rank order

•• 66% gave substance misuse 66% gave substance misuse --main main reason reason reason reason

•• 44% gave child protection concerns 44% gave child protection concerns --22ndnd

main reasonmain reason

•• 50% gave mental health problems as 350% gave mental health problems as 3rdrd

highest reasonhighest reason

QQ Impact on grandparents quality of life?Impact on grandparents quality of life?1919

The impact of being a grandparent kinshipcarer on quality of life (n= 480)

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Quality of life issuesQuality of life issues--summarysummary•• Across 749 quality of life responses 96% Across 749 quality of life responses 96% revealed that the kinship carer’s quality or revealed that the kinship carer’s quality or life and relationships had not improved.life and relationships had not improved.

•• 3/4 of the kinship carers were working full 3/4 of the kinship carers were working full time prior to becoming a kinship carer. Since time prior to becoming a kinship carer. Since time prior to becoming a kinship carer. Since time prior to becoming a kinship carer. Since that time just under 1/3 are working, of whom that time just under 1/3 are working, of whom 6/10 working part6/10 working part--time.time.

•• Financial circumstances & a range of quality Financial circumstances & a range of quality of life measures indicate that grandparents’ of life measures indicate that grandparents’ circumstances are getting worse.circumstances are getting worse.

•• QQ How are relationships effected?How are relationships effected?2121

Impact on relationships of being a Impact on relationships of being a grandparent kinship carer (n=269)grandparent kinship carer (n=269)

2222NOTE Only 1% of answers indicated that these relationships had ‘remained the same’ or ‘improved’

Impact on relationshipsImpact on relationships

•• For most grandparents the relationship with For most grandparents the relationship with their partners and spouses provides their partners and spouses provides considerable support considerable support

•• Where there are grandchildren living in Where there are grandchildren living in •• Where there are grandchildren living in Where there are grandchildren living in kinship care with their grandparent (s) the kinship care with their grandparent (s) the majority of all grandparents’ premajority of all grandparents’ pre--existing existing relationships change significantly and relationships change significantly and detrimentally, at the very least, for the detrimentally, at the very least, for the duration of the kinship care arrangement. duration of the kinship care arrangement.

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What grandparents said to usWhat grandparents said to us

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Research FindingsResearch FindingsMore on relationshipsMore on relationships

•• Those very relationships which prior to the Those very relationships which prior to the placement provided support, actual or placement provided support, actual or potential soured and worsened in a significant potential soured and worsened in a significant majority of cases reported here.majority of cases reported here.

•• The only relationship reported as having The only relationship reported as having •• The only relationship reported as having The only relationship reported as having improved was that between the grandchild improved was that between the grandchild and the grandparent.and the grandparent.

QQ So what agencies actually helped?So what agencies actually helped?

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Agencies Providing Agencies Providing HelpHelp--GrandparentsGrandparents ViewsViews

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Key questions raised by the studyKey questions raised by the study

•• Q What cost to their health and well Q What cost to their health and well being can or should grandparent kinship being can or should grandparent kinship carers bear? And carers bear? And carers bear? And carers bear? And

•• Q What services help grandparent Q What services help grandparent kinship carers?kinship carers?

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Section ThreeSection ThreeSo what supports So what supports are needed? are needed?

•• Give carers recognition for the job they doGive carers recognition for the job they do•• Facilitate fair and adequate financial support Facilitate fair and adequate financial support •• Provide accessible and friendly familyProvide accessible and friendly family--led assessment led assessment

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•••• Provide accessible and friendly familyProvide accessible and friendly family--led assessment led assessment and support servicesand support services

•• Offer direct work and groupwork with the childrenOffer direct work and groupwork with the children•• Provide casework/ groupwork support for carersProvide casework/ groupwork support for carers•• Offer help with managing contact with parents if Offer help with managing contact with parents if requiredrequired

What more needs to What more needs to be donebe done??

•• Value kinship care as a positive resource for children Value kinship care as a positive resource for children and see carers as a resource to be nurturedand see carers as a resource to be nurtured

••

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•• Develop an appropriate familyDevelop an appropriate family--led framework for led framework for assessment and support of kinship carersassessment and support of kinship carers

•• Develop education services as a major source of Develop education services as a major source of support for kinship children to build resiliencesupport for kinship children to build resilience

How best to support How best to support kinship placements?kinship placements?

•• Consider kinship care as 1Consider kinship care as 1stst choice for choice for stabilitystability

•• Get to know the childGet to know the child•• Consider all the optionsConsider all the options

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•• Consider all the optionsConsider all the options•• Know the law and mind the guidanceKnow the law and mind the guidance•• Work with the whole kinship networkWork with the whole kinship network•• Be aware of alliances, conflicts in familyBe aware of alliances, conflicts in family•• Be prepared to support kinship placementsBe prepared to support kinship placements•• Recognise the challenges of contactRecognise the challenges of contact(Argent, H, 2009)(Argent, H, 2009)

Summary of Summary of research findingsresearch findings

•• Kinship care increasing and being valuedKinship care increasing and being valued

•• Grandparents, predominantly grandmothers Grandparents, predominantly grandmothers are the largest group of kinship carersare the largest group of kinship carers

•• It needs to be assessed as to whether it It needs to be assessed as to whether it

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•• It needs to be assessed as to whether it It needs to be assessed as to whether it is the right option for the childis the right option for the child

•• Kinship carers/childrenKinship carers/children-- services neededservices needed

•• It involves new policies, ways of workingIt involves new policies, ways of working

•• Governments are reluctant to investGovernments are reluctant to invest

Section FourSection FourFinally Finally ––Some Some

Outstanding QuestionsOutstanding Questions•• With the advent of a new administration in With the advent of a new administration in 2010 and the ‘Big Society’, will it be a case of 2010 and the ‘Big Society’, will it be a case of ‘back to the family’ again for kinship care?‘back to the family’ again for kinship care?

•• OR can the ‘Big Society’ continue to embrace, OR can the ‘Big Society’ continue to embrace, •• OR can the ‘Big Society’ continue to embrace, OR can the ‘Big Society’ continue to embrace, and extend the established ‘shared careand extend the established ‘shared care--shared responsibility’ philosophy, or social shared responsibility’ philosophy, or social contract if you will, between the state, the contract if you will, between the state, the individual and the family about individual and the family about responsibilities, duties and rights?responsibilities, duties and rights?

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Kinship care referencesKinship care references

•• Aldgate, J and McIntosh, M (2007) Looking after the family, Aldgate, J and McIntosh, M (2007) Looking after the family, Social Work Inspection Agency, EdinburghSocial Work Inspection Agency, Edinburgh

•• Argent, H (2009) Supporting kinship placements, BAAFArgent, H (2009) Supporting kinship placements, BAAF•• Broad, B (2010) Grandparents Voices, Grandparents’ Broad, B (2010) Grandparents Voices, Grandparents’

AssociationAssociation•• Broad, B, (2007) Kinship care; what worksBroad, B, (2007) Kinship care; what works-- who cares?who cares?

Social Work and Social Sciences Review, 23, 2Social Work and Social Sciences Review, 23, 2•• Broad, B and Skinner, A, (2005) Relative Benefits: placing Broad, B and Skinner, A, (2005) Relative Benefits: placing

children in kinship carechildren in kinship care--a good practice guide. BAAFa good practice guide. BAAF

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•• Broad, B and Skinner, A, (2005) Relative Benefits: placing Broad, B and Skinner, A, (2005) Relative Benefits: placing children in kinship carechildren in kinship care--a good practice guide. BAAFa good practice guide. BAAF

•• Broad, B (2007) Kinship Care, Save the Children FundBroad, B (2007) Kinship Care, Save the Children Fund•• Hunt, J, Waterhouse, S, and Lutman, E (2008) Keeping them Hunt, J, Waterhouse, S, and Lutman, E (2008) Keeping them

in the family, BAAF, Londonin the family, BAAF, London•• Farmer, E & Moyers, S (2008). Kinship care, Jessica KingsleyFarmer, E & Moyers, S (2008). Kinship care, Jessica Kingsley•• Talbot, C & Calder, M, eds. (2006) Assessment in kinship Talbot, C & Calder, M, eds. (2006) Assessment in kinship

carecare. . RHPRHP•• Wade, J, et al Special Guardianship in Practice, BAAFWade, J, et al Special Guardianship in Practice, BAAF

My contact detailsMy contact details

Professor Bob BroadProfessor Bob Broad

Email Email broadb@lsbu.ac.ukbroadb@lsbu.ac.uk

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Institute of Social Science ResearchInstitute of Social Science Research

Families and Social Capital GroupFamilies and Social Capital Group

Web AddressWeb Address

www.lsbu.ac.uk/familieswww.lsbu.ac.uk/families