Grandparents As Parents

Kinship care ruling could cost councils dear
Molly Garboden
Wednesday 12 May 2010 09:17

A ground-breaking case on kinship carer payments could leave local authorities with a huge bill, a social care lawyer has warned.

The High Court ruled that a 64-year-old grandmother who looks after her 15-year-old granddaughter should receive the same payments from Kent Council as foster parents would be entitled to.

The ruling increases the grandmother's weekly payment to £164 from £63.

Social care lawyer Ed Mitchell said: "This case could have big financial implications. Local authorities have just let family carers get on with it and now the court has come down on them and said this is foster care and should be funded accordingly."


If the Kent case sets a precedent, Mitchell said, it could also affect risk assessments.

"It will mean the obligations that are attached to a child who is fostered will kick in for these children who are looked after by family members," he said.

Fostering organisations are pleased with the decision.

"I think it's high time that kinship carers had their properly assessed needs fully met," said Jeffrey Coleman, Southern England Director of the British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF). "The child's needs can't be ignored and if they're as needy as children in foster care, despite being placed with family, the same resources should be provided.