Manager's blog April 2025

Celebrating Kinship Care Week: Building Community Connections Through Our New Clusters Initiative

March has been a remarkable month for our fostering service, with the opening Kinship Care Week (17-21 March 2025) taking centre stage in our community outreach efforts. This special week gave us the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the extraordinary commitment of kinship carers who open their hearts and homes to children in need of stability and love.

What is Kinship Care?

For those unfamiliar with the term, kinship care occurs when family members or close family friends step up to care for children who cannot live with their birth parents. These dedicated individuals—grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, or family friends—provide a crucial family connection that helps children maintain their sense of identity and belonging during challenging times.

Launching Our Community Clusters Initiative

The highlight of Kinship Care Week was undoubtedly the launch of our new Community Clusters initiative, which officially began at Benitlee Family Hub on Wednesday, 19th March. This wasn't just a one-off celebration—similar events unfolded throughout the week at various family hubs across the region, strategically selected to be accessible to our kinship carers. These meetings served a dual purpose: establishing the foundation for our ongoing support groups and conveying to our kinship carers just how deeply we value their irreplaceable role in children's lives. Each session was filled with meaningful conversations, shared experiences, and genuine appreciation for the challenging but rewarding journey of kinship care.

Why Community Clusters Matter

The essence of our Community Clusters initiative lies in its focus on connection. Kinship carers often find themselves navigating complex family dynamics, legal processes, and emotional challenges without the structured support typically available to mainstream foster carers. Our monthly support groups are designed to bridge this gap by creating spaces where carers can:

• Share their unique experiences with others who truly understand
• Exchange practical advice on day-to-day challenges
• Forge meaningful relationships with others in similar circumstances
• Access professional guidance in a comfortable, informal setting

During our launch events, members of our fostering service team were available to provide personalised guidance on various aspects of kinship care. Many carers took advantage of this opportunity to discuss their specific circumstances, including the process of transitioning to special guardianship arrangements—a step that provides greater stability and legal permanence for children.

Looking Ahead: Continuing Support:

We're committed to sustaining these valuable connections through regular cluster group meetings, all conveniently hosted at Family Hub Centres in your local area. Each session will combine practical support with the opportunity to build lasting relationships with other kinship carers in your community.

Getting Involved:

Are you a kinship carer interested in joining one of our Community Clusters? Your supervising social worker can provide all the details you need about meeting dates, locations, and what to expect. For the most up-to-date information, you can also visit our website at fostering.stoke.gov.uk, where we regularly post updates about our kinship care support programs.

As we reflect on the success of our first Kinship Care Week, we remain dedicated to expanding and enhancing our support for the remarkable individuals who step forward to provide family-based care for children who need it most. The journey of kinship care isn't always easy, but through our Community Clusters initiative, we hope to ensure that no carer ever feels isolated.