Kinship carers are prepared to protest outside West Dunbartonshire Council headquarters in their fight for more support and equality.

Scores of children in the region are in kinship care – looked after by a member of their family or family friend because their parents are unable to care for them – but the area’s support group claims they are treated as ‘second class’ by the council.

Micheleine Kane, chair of Kinship Care West Dunbartonshire, also cares for her grandson and is trying to become a carer for her granddaughter who is currently fostered.

She said: “We’ve had to fight for every single penny, if we get anything. All we want from West Dunbartonshire Council is to be recognised and treated with respect.

“They treat kinship care as a second class service because it’s family. What if all the kinship carers in West Dunbartonshire decided to take the kids into care? What would they do then?” She the system of support caused bitterness as some carers were given allowances where others were not.

The allowance of around £92 a fortnight, is much less than given to foster parents and Ms Cane said children should not be facing hardship if looked after by their wider family but a more comfortable life if fostered.

She added that the group was not appeased by the local authority’s review of the service as they were not being kept informed and said she was ‘disgusted’ that council leader Martin Rooney had not responded to an email requesting a meeting.

She said: “We’re quite prepared to demonstrate if that’s what it takes. It’s very much on the agenda. There will be a demonstration outside Garshake – peaceful of course – if we don’t get some sort of response about what’s happening with kinship care. We want answers about what the council is going to put in place.” “We want answers, we want respect, we want equality, and we want it now. West Dunbartonshire Council has the power to review their policy and do that now.” Ms Kane said many people do not know what kinship care is, even carers themselves.

She said: “We have a lady whose daughter hanged herself and that lady got her two grandkids and she can’t get any sort of justice.

“They come and see us in tears and broken and we say where they can turn. We feel as if the council don’t highlight it enough.

“We want people to know it could happen to anybody in any walk of life. It doesn’t have to be problems with drugs or alcohol, it could be bereavement.

“We speak to so many people who don’t know they are kinship carers and that there is support for them and others willing to listen.” Since the group was set up three years ago it has grown from about a dozen members to more than 50 carers, looking after 90 children.

Ms Kane said there could be many more not in touch with the group and outreach groups have been started in Alexandria and Clydebank to help more people.

The group is fundraising to set up youth clubs for kinship care children at the Ben View Centre in Dumbarton where meetings are held and has raised more £1,500 in a month.

The next outreach group takes place at Vale of Leven Library in Alexandria on April 20 from 10am-noon.

Council leader Martin Rooney said: “West Dunbartonshire council has been working through cosla to try to secure additional funding from the Scottish government to support kinship carers.

“Cosla leaders last discussed kinship carers issues at its meeting on March 27 where we supported the ‘local parity model’ being pioneered by Inverclyde council.

“This model would help kinship carers achieve parity with foster carers. However it would cost councils such as West Dunbartonshire between £750,000 and £1m extra each year so we are seeking extra funding from the Scottish government to address this inequality.” He added: “Unfortunately, we are unable to make any specific commitments to kinship carers at this stage as we have an ongoing review and are in negotiations with the Scottish government via Cosla.” A West Dunbartonshire Council spokeswoman added that the role of kinship carers was ‘recognised and appreciated’ and the council does provide support.