A Dumbarton grandmother who chairs the Alliance of Kinship carers has warned that there are families in the area that could miss out on new funding from the government.
The Children’s Minister confirmed the Scottish government has agreed to provide £10.1 million to councils to raise kinship care allowances to the same level foster care families receive.
The funding announcement follows the First Minister’s pledge to ensure that children looked after by relatives are entitled to the same support as those placed with foster care families.
Anne Swartz, chair of the Scottish Kinship Care Alliance, said: “We are delighted that the Scottish government has finally recognised the comparable needs of children in kinship and foster care, which kinship carers have campaigned tirelessly for. This will make a huge difference to the 5,200 children who will be entitled to further support.
“However, the Buttle UK comprehensive 2013 report ‘The Poor Relations’ claims there are at least 20,000 kinship carers in Scotland (or one in 71 children) and most of these placements are informal, and will therefore be left out. We must not let the majority of children in kinship care become more marginalised and vulnerable. We will continue to work with the Scottish government and kinship carers across Scotland to get all kinship care families recognised and supported.” Minister for Children and Young People Aileen Campbell said: “Vulnerable children in kinship care families deserve to be treated the same as other children who can’t live at home. Often the circumstances that lead to a relative taking a child or young person into their home are heart-breaking, confusing and complex for all involved.
“Having a family relationship provides stability and support, but it can be a significant upheaval and one which needs proper support.
“The investment of £10.1 million will improve the lives of around 5,200 children, delivering improvements for those who have had to struggle in the past as they strive to provide security and stability for some of Scotland’s most vulnerable children.” The announcement is the result of working between the Scottish government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (CoSLA) to establish how best to fund councils to expand the support.
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