This week (7 – 13 October) is Kinship Care Week and Milton Keynes City Council is celebrating the amazing role that kinship carers play in children's lives across the city.
Kinship carers are the grandparents and siblings, the aunts, uncles, and family friends who step up to raise children when their parents can’t. This kind of support is provided to more than 200,000 children across England and Wales, yet many kinship carers do not take up the support they are entitled to receive.
Support for kinship carers is available from the City Council in the form of training and advice, financial help, and access to support groups. Contact the fostering team on postSGOsupport@milton-keynes.gov.uk or call 01908 253 206, to learn more.
“We really value kinship carers and know that children are happier when they can stay within their friends and family network. Kinship carers play an incredibly important role and yet many have not come forward for support. 90% of our kinship carers have qualified for additional financial help and we want to ensure the funding goes as wide as possible to all those who need it.”
The City Council is also running various events to celebrate MK’s kinship carers. This includes a special afternoon tea at Millenium Hall in Moulsoe on Friday 11 October and a family event with MK Dons Set at Brooklands Pavilion on Thursday 31 October during half term.
Email postSGOsupport@milton-keynes.gov.uk if you’d like to find out more about these and other local events taking place. For more information and support, please visit our website.