Grandparents caring for children

There are an estimated 180,000 children in the UK who are being raised by a family member other than their parents and recent research by https://www.grandparentsplus.org.uk show that the burden often falls upon grandparents and causes financial hardship.

https://www.grandparentsplus.org.uk/news/kinship-care-state-of-the-nation-2017-survey highlights the following key findings:

• 52% of the children in kinship care have experienced abuse or neglect
• The average household income for kinship families is just £17,316, compared to the national average of £27,200 [1] 
• 47% of carers say they are not getting the financial support they need, including 28% who feel very poorly supported
• 65% of carers say they need more emotional support

There are an estimated 180,000 children in the care of relatives in the UK [2], and it’s likely that up to 95% of carers are not entitled to any statutory support.

About Grandparents Plus

Grandparents Plus is the only national charity supporting grandparents, especially when they face the challenges of raising grandchildren as ‘kinship carers’ in difficult family circumstances. They help 2,000 vulnerable families each year, providing life-changing financial, practical and emotional support to enable both the carers and children to thrive.

For more information – www.grandparentsplus.org.uk