Cash boost for grandparents and family members looking after children in care

Two charities have been awarded a £300,000 loan to boost support for grandparents and other relatives who look after children unable to stay with their parents.

Futurebuilders, a government-backed fund for voluntary and community groups, has given the loan to the Grandparent’s Association and fostering and adoption agency The Adolescent and Children’s Trust (TACT) to set up a joint kinship care project.

The project will initially be based in one local authority area and promote kinship care as a “viable alternative” to foster care for young people.

The charities said the project could help to address the national shortage of foster carers by considering other members of children’s own families when taking children into care.

Currently, around two-thirds of childcare provision is provided by grandparents, according to the Grandparent’s Association.

Kevin Williams, chief executive of TACT, said: “We know that young people do much better when they are able to be looked after by family members, yet all too often there is little recognition, or support to enable family members – often grandparents – to take over the role of carer.”