When You Are Asked to Care for a Relative’s Child

Informal Kinship Care at a Glace:

  • No legal authority
  • Parents can take back the child at any time
  • Preventative services only
  • Can seek formal custody via Family Court
  • May be eligible as a household for Temporary Assistance
  • Can apply for the child-only or non-parent caregiver grant
  • Not eligible for an adoption subsidy or KinGap services

Other Informal Kinship Care Considerations

While Kinship care is the care given to a child whose parents are unable to provide the care and support for a child and this responsibility is taken on by a family member such as a grandparent, aunt, uncle, sibling or other connected adults to the child such as godparents or close friends of the family.

Informal kinship care refers to a living arrangement in which a relative of a child, who is not in the care, custody, or guardianship of the local department of social services, provides for the care and custody of the child due to a serious family hardship.

It is important to understand the difference between an informal kinship care arrangement and that of an approved kinship foster placement. In general terms an informal kinship carer will care for a child following an agreement between themselves and the parents when they are no longer able to care for the child themselves and wish to avoid the child going into care. For example, grandparents might step in to look after a child if the parents are unable to cope, perhaps due to bereavement, drug or alcohol problems, or mental health issues.

This type of arrangement does not involve the local authority and the carers do not generally receive a fostering allowance. If the carer feels they may not be able to meet the needs of the child due to finances, they may consider requesting a `Child in Need` assessment from the local authority (see below).

The parents retain the parental responsibility. While Caregivers are able to delegate the day to day decisions concerning their child, major decisions need parents’ consent such as medical treatment, foreign travel and schooling.

The kinship Caregiver has no legal right to the child and must respect the wishes and decisions made by the birth parents. Parental responsibility can be sought by applying for a legal order in extreme circumstances