Supports Available
Here in West Lothian we recognise that kinship care can be complicated and emotional for families and we want to offer the right supports for each family. Both informal and formal kinship carers are able to access support from our kinship service.
Group Support
Kinship Carers can access group support in a variety of ways. Our monthly coffee mornings offer carers the opportunity to connect with each other and share experiences, our partners at Children's First offer fortnightly drop in sessions and we regularly run training and support sessions focussed on specific topics that might be relevant to our carers.
Individual Support
Our kinship support workers can offer tailored individual support. This might include, for example:
- Supporting carers to attend social work meetings and helping them understand the plan for the child they are caring for
- Referrals to partner agencies such as our benefits advice service
- Support to manage other referrals such as housing, education, and mental health supports
- Individual pieces of work such as thinking about the child's life history and identity, understanding trauma, and developing strategies for managing family time
- Offering emotional support from a service which recognises the complex role carers often have to undertake
- Assessing for financial support such as kinship allowances
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