Kinship care is when a child lives full-time with a relative, family friend or another person they already know because they cannot live with their parents.
Kinship arrangements can take different forms. These include informal family arrangements, private fostering, kinship foster care, Child Arrangements Orders and Special Guardianship Orders. The support available may be different depending on the type of arrangement and the child’s circumstances.
Key documents
The documents below set out Coventry’s vision for kinship care and the support available to kinship families, including financial assistance, services and resources.
Use the sections below to find the information that is right for you.
I am a Kinship Foster Carer
A Kinship Foster Carer looks after a child who is in the care of the local authority. The carer must be assessed and approved as a foster carer for that child.
Kinship Foster Carers receive support and supervision from a Supervising Social Worker. They also receive fostering fees and allowances while the child remains in care and they remain approved as the child’s foster carer.
I am a Special Guardian
A Special Guardianship Order is a court order that gives a child a secure, permanent home with someone other than their parent. The Special Guardian has parental responsibility for the child, although the child’s parents may also retain some parental responsibility.
Support for Special Guardians will depend on the child’s circumstances, previous care history, assessed needs and the support plan agreed for the family.
Support available
Support is available for Kinship Foster Carers and Special Guardians, although eligibility and access arrangements can be different. Support is based on the needs of the child, the family’s circumstances and the child’s legal status or previous care history.
Support for both groups
Depending on eligibility and assessed need, support may include:
- advice and support from the Kinship Team
- training and information sessions
- support groups and peer support
- education advice
- therapeutic and wellbeing support
- help with family relationships and family time
- Children and Families Worker support
- family network meetings or Family Group Decision Making
- events, newsletters and activities
- advice about financial, housing or legal matters
Some children who were previously in care and now live under a Special Guardianship Order or Child Arrangements Order may be eligible for therapeutic support through the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund. An assessment is required before an application can be made.
Additional support for Kinship Foster Carers
Kinship Foster Carers receive support and supervision from their allocated Supervising Social Worker. They can access the fostering training programme and the out-of-hours fostering support service.
Additional support for Special Guardians
Special Guardians may be able to access:
- Special Guardianship information sessions
- peer-support groups
- therapeutic support, subject to eligibility and assessment
- Children and Families Worker support
- financial support, subject to the relevant assessment
- support where a Special Guardianship arrangement is at risk of breaking down
Training, groups and events
Training, information sessions, support groups and events are available to help Kinship Foster Carers and Special Guardians in their caring role.
Training may include:
- understanding attachment, trauma and children’s behaviour
- therapeutic parenting
- supporting children’s emotional wellbeing
- life-story work
- autism and neurodivergence awareness
- education support
- Special Guardianship information
- training for people completing a fostering or Special Guardianship assessment
The service also provides newsletters, family events and opportunities to meet other carers. Peer-support activities may include coffee mornings, park walks, virtual sessions and a peer-support WhatsApp group for Special Guardians.
For current dates, booking arrangements and eligibility, contact the Fostering and Kinship Service using the details in the Contact us section.
Financial support
Financial support is different for Kinship Foster Carers and Special Guardians.
Kinship Foster Carers
Approved Kinship Foster Carers receive fostering fees and allowances while the child remains in care and they remain the child’s approved foster carer.
Other support may be considered in some circumstances, including:
- one-off payments during a crisis
- help with essential items such as clothing, furniture or bedding
- contributions towards living costs
- support considered by the Exceptional Allowances Panel
- help with adaptations to accommodation through the relevant approval process
Speak to your Supervising Social Worker if you need financial or practical support.
Special Guardians
Financial support for Special Guardians is not automatic. It is considered according to the child’s needs, the Special Guardian’s circumstances and other income or benefits available to the family.
Most applications require a financial assessment. The assessment considers income, reasonable household costs, benefits and the financial needs of the child. The Council should provide written reasons explaining how the allowance has been calculated.
A Special Guardian may also be considered for an individual support package through the Exceptional Allowances Panel where standard arrangements do not meet the child’s needs or the family’s circumstances. This could include high-cost needs, financial hardship, one-off payments, transition support or some legal costs.
Financial support is normally reviewed each year. Special Guardians can ask for a reassessment if their circumstances or the child’s circumstances change.
For a financial assessment or post-order financial support: PSSFostering@coventry.gov.uk or telephone 024 7697 6759.
Education, health and wellbeing
Education support
The type of education support available depends partly on whether the child is currently or was previously in care.
The Virtual School provides information and advice about the education of children living in kinship arrangements. Children who were previously in care and left care through a Special Guardianship Order or Child Arrangements Order may also receive support through their school’s Designated Teacher and may attract Pupil Premium Plus funding.
Virtual School: virtualschool@coventry.gov.uk or telephone 024 7697 5535.
Health and wellbeing
Children in care have statutory health assessments and health plans. Children living under other kinship arrangements may have different access routes, so carers should seek advice about the support available for their child’s circumstances.
A wellbeing service is available to Kinship Foster Carers and Special Guardians through Health Assured. Support described in the Local Offer includes a confidential helpline, counselling, life coaching, financial guidance, legal information and medical advice.
To find out how to access wellbeing support, contact the Fostering and Kinship Service using the details in the Contact us section.
Quick guides and frequently asked questions
What is kinship care?
Kinship care is when a child lives with a relative, family friend or another person they already know because they cannot live with their parents. The legal arrangement affects the support available.
Kinship foster care
A Kinship Foster Carer is assessed and approved to care for a specific child who is in the care of the local authority. Support includes supervision, fostering fees and allowances while the approval and care arrangement remain in place.
Special Guardianship
A Special Guardianship Order gives a child a secure, permanent home with someone other than a parent. Support depends on the child’s circumstances, assessed needs and agreed support plan.
Understanding parental responsibility
A Special Guardian has parental responsibility for the child. The child’s parents may also retain some parental responsibility. Advice should be sought if you are unsure how this applies to a particular decision.
Financial support
Kinship Foster Carers receive fostering payments. Financial support for Special Guardians is normally subject to an assessment of the child’s needs and the family’s circumstances.
Education support
Education support depends partly on whether the child is currently or was previously in care. The Virtual School can provide information and advice.
Health and emotional wellbeing
Access routes can differ according to the child’s legal status and circumstances. Carers can contact the service for advice about wellbeing and therapeutic support.
Family time and contact
Support may be available with family relationships and arrangements for children to spend time with family members. Speak to the child’s social worker or the Kinship Team about the family’s circumstances.
Training and support groups
Training, information sessions, peer support and events are available. Contact the service for current dates, eligibility and booking arrangements.
Where to go for help
Contact the Fostering and Kinship Service if you are unsure what type of arrangement you have or what support may be available.
Frequently asked questions
What type of kinship carer am I?
This will depend on the child’s legal arrangement. If you are unsure, contact the Kinship Team or speak to the child’s social worker.
Can I access training?
Training is available to Kinship Foster Carers and Special Guardians, but some courses are designed specifically for approved foster carers. Contact the service to check who can attend and how to book.
Can I receive financial help?
This depends on your type of kinship arrangement, the child’s needs and your circumstances. Kinship Foster Carers receive fostering payments. Special Guardianship financial support is normally subject to an assessment.
What if my circumstances change?
Tell your social worker or contact the service. Special Guardians can request a reassessment of their financial support following a significant change in their own or the child’s circumstances.
Where can I get independent advice?
The Kinship Care Strategy and Local Offer includes details of independent organisations, including Kinship and Family Rights Group, as well as local education, wellbeing and family services.
Useful documents
Detailed legal and financial information is available in the documents below:
Contact us
If you need advice about kinship care, training or available support, contact the Fostering and Kinship Service.
Telephone: 024 7697 5489
Email: PSSFostering@coventry.gov.uk
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm, and Friday, 9am to 4.30pm
Special Guardian peer support: sgps.coventry@gmail.com
Financial assessments or post-order financial support: 024 7697 6759 or PSSFostering@coventry.gov.uk