A Family Rights Group survey of nearly 700 kinship carers – many of whom had taken on children as a result of parental substance misuse, neglect or mental ill-health – found half had received no support during the crisis, despite high levels of need.
A similar proportion were self-isolating because a household member has an underlying health condition, while a quarter said they had experienced worsening financial hardship during the coronavirus outbreak.
The study, which was carried out on behalf of the Parliamentary Taskforce on Kinship Care, did not specifically ask participants about their current level of involvement with children’s social care. But responses from those who reported recent experience of local authority processes indicated that engagement from professionals was inconsistent.