Wider Family Matters – a guide for family and friends raising children who cannot live with their parents

 Wider Family Matters – a guide for family and friends raising children who cannot live with their parents
 Clare Roskill
 Family Rights Group
 ISBN 1871515408

 Star rating: 4/5

Care by family and friends, also known as kinship care, is a growing placement option for children. Yet until now a resource guide for these carers has been lacking. This informative and accessible publication fills that gap very well indeed, providing a wealth of legal and practical information and tips for family and friends carers.

There are indexed chapters on research findings, parental responsibility and carer’s status, legal options, local authority children’s services, lawyers and court matters, sources of financial help, day care and education, and support groups.

There is an additional detailed resources section. What is especially useful is that it provides what seems to be just the right level of information required, with additional helpful question and answer sections. Engagingly written, it draws on expert contributions from other Family Rights Group associates.

If and when family and friends care receives the degree of central government attention and resourcing it requires, there will always be a need for an outstanding legal and practical guide such as this one. While its prime audience is current and prospective family and friends carers, this guide is also unreservedly recommended to social care practitioners and managers working in the field

Bob Broad is professor of children and families research/director of the children and families research unit, De Montfort University, Leicester