Over half of kinship carers are grandparents, making them the largest group of carers stepping in to raise children when parents are unable to do so. 

Join a webinar that will explore what it means to support older kinship carers in practice. Drawing on research, practice insights and lived experience, the session will highlight the particular strengths and challenges of older carers, including the impact on wellbeing, identity and family dynamics.

Older kinship carers bring deep commitment and a lifetime of experience to their role. However, they are often facing significant financial hardship, intense stress, and declining physical and mental health and have to make immense sacrifices to provide stable, loving homes for children who may have experienced trauma and loss. Many carry additional caring responsibilities (including for other adult relatives) and experience isolation, with their own wellbeing and capacity to care profoundly impacted by these factors.  

In this webinar, we will focus on what older kinship carers say they need: clear information, early future planning, practical and financial support, help to navigate complex systems and relationships, and access to peer and community networks. It will also explore how Children’s and Adult Services can work together to provide more joined-up, responsive support over time.

Participants will have opportunities to reflect, share practice experiences and consider what good support looks and feels like for older kinship carers and their families.

Learning outcomes

As a result of taking part in this event, participants will be able to:

• Recognise the unique challenges faced by older kinship carers including financial pressures, housing, health needs, identity and wellbeing.
• Identify what older kinship carers say helps them to sustain caring roles, including early information, ongoing support and peer connections.
• Reflect on how children’s and adults’ services can work together to provide more coordinated and holistic support. 
• Consider what good practice looks like in supporting older kinship carers, including strengths-based, relational and culturally responsive approaches. 
• Apply learning to their own practice, including ways to better assess, plan and provide support over time.