Improving children’s lives through supporting kinship carers
Are you a relative or family friend who is caring for someone else’s child? Whether you are a grandparent, aunt or uncle, sibling, or friend, you are not alone.
The National Kinship Care Service, run by CHILDREN 1ST and funded by the Scottish Government, has been set up to give information, advice and other support to kinship carers and children living in kinship care across Scotland.
The helpline is run by ParentLine Scotland. Call on 0800 028 2233 or email at parentlinescotland@children1st.org.uk. The service is free, confidential and open evenings and weekends.
We also support kinship care families through:
- training and skills development
- regional forums
- groups and networks
- an annual conference.
Our policy and outreach worker, Jude Wilson, is always happy to come out and meet with kinship care groups and local authority support teams – please call her on 0131 446 3983 or email jude.wilson@children1st.org.uk.
Other services within CHILDREN 1ST
CHILDREN 1ST has a range of local services which might be able to support kinship care families on parenting skills, child development, recovery from abuse and trauma, befriending, advocacy and mediation.
We can also help establish strong kinship care arrangements through our unique family group conference service. To discuss setting up a conference between you and your family, please contact jude.wilson@children1st.org.uk.
