Kinship care in Scotland has been receiving considerable attention recently as part of the Scottish Government's strategic plan for children. The strategy Getting it Right for Every Child focuses on the child in their community and family and what services need to be provided to help every child achieve their potential and to grow into responsible adults. In this article Anne Black describes the development of an assessment and approval process for kinship carers for looked after children. She also considers what kinds of supports and skill development kinship carers want and need. She shares the work of a task group set up in 2008 as part of the Getting it Right for Every Child in Kinship and Foster Care strategy. The group saw the focus of assessment being on the child's plan and how kinship carers can meet the identified needs of the child and with what supports. The need for simplification of the benefits maze for kinship carers is acknowledged, as some kinship carers are likely to be less well off if they receive allowances from the local authority than if they continue to receive universal benefits. The task group developed a vision for kinship care, including a reduction of the numbers of children living in kinship care families who are subject to statutory measures of care. The vision also includes access to universal services at the time the kinship carers need them and recognition of the value and skills of kinship carers.
