Empowering families,
supporting children,
caring for older and vulnerable people
Kinship Care
A Kinship or Family Assessment is a tool for gathering information regarding a specific family member of the child in question, and appraising their ability to provide care in the short-term and the long-term. The assessment will consider the issue of contact between birth parents and their child and the nature of the relationship between the Kinship carer and the birth parents.
An assessment is necessary when a child is unable to remain with their birth parents. Family members are considered as alternative carers before any unrelated carers.
During an assessment, we shall gather information about the child and their circumstances and convene a meeting with all significant family members. Speaking with family members allows us to gain an insight to the family's plan for the child.
At CPK we shall endeavor to include all family members in developing a workable Kinship care agreement, aiming to empower families to determine their own future
Completed assessments will be considered by the Local Authority Fostering Panel.
Our experience
Since 2012, we have worked specifically on Kinship Assessments and support to carers following placements. The assessments have included, Full Connected Persons Assessments, Special Guardianship, Child Arrangement Orders and Adoption.
As a service provider, we always attempt to look beyond and beneath information that is presented, both from kinship applicants, from others in the household, from other agencies and from referees.
This has resulted in quality assessments, that have been commended by the Foster Panel and by the Courts, for their ability to look within the applicant’s motivations, strengths and weaknesses in order to conclude and recommend what is truly best for the child(ren) in need of placement.
CPK has completed over 90 assessment reports, which has supported more than 80 children to find long term, secure placements with family and friends carers. This has been formalised by the approval of the carers through local authority fostering panel. And through Court granting Special Guardianship Orders.
If a Kinship Assessment is a service you require, please download our referral form and send to: info@cpkfamily.co.uk