Connected foster carers

What connected foster care means

Connected foster care is when a child lives full-time with a relative or friend who isn’t their parent, usually because their parents aren’t able to care for them. Grandparents, older siblings, aunts, uncles, and people who know the child well can all be connected carers. Connected carers are sometimes called ‘family and friends carers’ or ‘kinship carers’.

If a social worker has arranged for a child to live with you, you will need to be assessed as a connected carer.

Becoming a connected foster carer

You will have a fostering assessment to see if you can meet the national minimum fostering standards. The assessment can take around 12 weeks. You and your social worker are invited to Foster Panel at 14 weeks, where your assessment will be discussed and you will be able to ask questions too. Foster Panel will decide if they recommend that you should be a connected foster carer, or not. If you are not approved as a connected carer then you can appeal the decision. You’ll need to talk with your assessing social worker about how to do this.

Financial help for connected foster carers

As a temporary approved, or approved, connected foster carer you will be paid a weekly allowance for the child you look after. When you are approved as a connected foster carer, and you have completed the Skills to Foster training, you will receive a weekly household fostering fee too.

Your fostering household fee is payable at the 'standard' level. The allowance for the child you care for will depend on their age. View our current fostering fees and allowances.

Considering a Special Guardianship Order (SGO)

A SGO can be considered when the child is settled (six to twelve months) and the family need less involvement from social workers. A SGO would give you over-riding parental responsibility, over birth parents, and the local authority will no longer be involved. We can still provide support and training via our Special Guardianship Hub if you request it.

There's more information about what SGOs are and the help and support we, and other organisations, can offer you. Download the leaflet below to find out more.

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Support for connected carers and young people

We have a Connected Carers and Special Guardianship Hub to help you with any questions you have about becoming a connected foster carer, or if you are a connected carer considering a Special Guardianship Order (SGO). You also benefit from the same support we offer to our mainstream foster carers.

Organisations who offer support and advice

There's independent advice and guidance available from the charities below. They can give you information about what connected care involves, the law about connected care and finances and funding.

• Coram children's legal centre
• Family Rights Group
• Family Action
• Foster Line
• Kinship
• Kinship Carers UK
• The Fostering Network