Kinship Zone pilot provides support to carers previously receiving no financial help

A Kinship Zone pilot in North East Lincolnshire has approved 312 applications for financial allowances, benefiting more than 400 children and young people, the local authority has reported.

North East Lincolnshire is one of seven local authorities selected earlier this year to participate in the government’s Kinship Zone pilot, which provides an allowance for eligible kinship carers with a Special Guardianship Order (SGO) or a ‘lives with’ Child Arrangement Order (CAO).

Kinship carers are adults who care for children and young people when their parents are unable to do so, and are usually relatives or friends of the child or their family.

The council said that, before the pilot began, at least 59 of the kinship carers who have since benefited from the scheme were not receiving any financial support.

Ann-Marie Matson, Director of Children's Services in North East Lincolnshire, said: "The number of children and families we have been able to support through the kinship zone pilot has been incredible. We have seen a huge increase in support across the borough.

"One of our main goals is to make sure the children that live in our area, get to stay in our area and the financial support from the pilot is helping to make this goal a reality."

The local authority said the pilot aims to help keep children within their families and existing support networks, maintaining connections with people they already know. It said this can help children develop a stronger sense of identity and support their development, particularly during the early years.

Alongside financial assistance, the pilot provides practical support for kinship carers, with the council saying this can help ease some of the pressures associated with caring for a child and ensure carers feel better equipped to meet their needs.

The pilot also includes Family Network Support Packages (FNSPs), which provide additional support to families and have received positive feedback from participating carers.

One kinship carer, Kerry, said: "The pilot has helped our family massively and the support we have received from the team at the council is just incredible."

The council is also Headline Sponsor of The Social Work Show, taking place in Manchester this Monday on 28 September, where it will discuss kinship zones and its other innovations through three seminars focused on leadership, supervision and the future of children's social care.

Ann-Marie Matson, Director of Children's Services, will deliver the keynote session, “Leading change, transforming lives through relational practice”, sharing North East Lincolnshire's transformation journey and its approach to relational practice, while Julie Bettany, Deputy Service Director - Practice, Standards and Principal Social Worker, will lead “Good supervision: Developing practice through learning and reflection”.

The council will also discuss children's social care reforms and preparing for the future with a final session delivered by Harriet Malkin, Deputy Service Director, Safeguarding and Disability Help, Protection, Care, Care Leavers, and Helen Davis, Children's Strategic Lead.