COVID-19 support for kinship carers across North East Lincolnshire

• Home schooling and managing children at home
• Facilitating contact with birth parents during lockdown
• Improving digital confidence
• Advice and information about financial support
• Access to online peer groups to connect with other kinship families in the area
• One-to-one emotional and practical support from a dedicated support worker

For more information and to register or use the service go to www.grandparentsplus.org.uk and search ‘Kinship Response’.

Grandparents Plus is the kinship care charity dedicated solely to supporting all kinship carers including special guardians.

Kinship carers are often older, with health concerns while raising children in such difficult circumstances. Like other parents, they are worried about their children’s mental and physical health as well as the pressure of home schooling, but with additional challenges such as complex dynamics with the parents’ birth parents, and limited contact with people who share their situation.

Kinship Response enables families to access a specialist advice service which can guide them through managing children at home, contact with birth parents and practicalities like digital confidence and available financial support. Kinship Response connects them with other special guardians in their local area through peer groups as well as one-to-one emotional and practical support from a dedicated support worker.

Kate O’Brien, Grandparents Plus Director of Business Development & Programmes, said:

“Kinship carers have specific concerns and needs at this time. Coronavirus is putting them and their families under more pressure, from increased health concerns, looking after children at home, increased isolation due to limited digital confidence, and reduced access to local peer support. Many kinship carers are in the vulnerable age range and are scared about what might happen to their families if they get ill.

“They need tailored advice, practical resources and support from people they trust, which is why we are delighted that we are able to offer them just that with Kinship Response.”