What Is Kinship Care?
Kinship care is when children and young people are cared for by extended family members or close family friends when their parents cannot look after them. Whenever possible, our council works to make sure children can remain within their family networks and wider community, helping them maintain important connections and a sense of stability.
How Dumfries and Galloway Council Supports Kinship Carers
We are committed to providing kinship families with steady, meaningful support that adapts to their needs. This begins with household assessments to make sure every child is safe, nurtured and well cared for, and continues through regular tailored support and annual six‑monthly reviews that help keep support plans relevant and responsive. Alongside this, kinship carers receive financial support through allowances set at the same rate as foster care payments, adjusted only for child‑related benefits. Just as importantly, our Kinship Team offers practical, hands‑on help, from guidance and advocacy to linking carers with wider community networks, ensuring no kinship family has to navigate their journey alone.
Our aim is to place children at the centre of every decision, ensuring they grow up safe, healthy, respected and included.
A Kinship Carer’s Story
As part of Kinship Care Week, we are proud to share this reflective account from one of our local kinship carers. Their words give powerful insight into the challenges, resilience and support that shape the kinship care journey.
I started my kinship journey 15 years ago, and I can honestly say it has been a rocky road.
About 18 months ago I went to a kinship group meeting and found out I was part of a very big group of people, all in the same small rocky boat as me. When I went into that group, I felt small, dejected and was about to give up. But, after the group finished, I was immediately spoken to by a very lovely woman who listened to me, wiped my tears and promised to help; and help she did, by setting up and attending meetings with school with me, coming out to visit at home and calling to make sure I was alright.
As the kinship parent of a now 17‑year‑old, the challenges are now a lot different, and I am being supported by another worker, who has been amazing with not only me, but my husband also.
The journey will never end and will always throw up surprises and challenges; but with the new found confidence that I have through the help and support I have been given over the past 18 months, I now walk tall in the knowledge that I'll survive.
Kinship carers embody commitment, love and tenacity every day. Their experiences guide us in strengthening the support we offer, and remind us why kinship care is such an important part of our community.
If you are a kinship carer or want to learn more about the support available, you can contact our team at 030 33 33 3001 or [email protected].