Kinship care is where a child who cannot be looked after by their parents is looked after by extended family or someone known to them.
The Committee has been looking into the challenges faced by kinship carers. It was particularly keen to understand:
The Committee has met twice to help develop its understanding.
There was a formal meeting on Kinship care on 24 February 2022 and a formal evidence session with the Minister for Children and Young People on 31 March 2022.
An informal focus group followed this on 21 March 2022.
The Committee held a follow-up session with the Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise on 9 November 2023.
The inquiry was discussed at the following Committee meetings:
An informal focus group was held on 21 March 2022, where kinship carers were able to share their views in confidence.
This note outlines what was discussed by the focus group (122KB, pdf) posted 30 March 2022
The Committee published a report on Kinship Care on 21 September 2022.
Read the Committee's report on Kinship Care
The Scottish Government responded to the Committee's report on 23 November 2022.
Scottish Government response to Kinship Carers report (148KB, pdf) posted 23 November 2022
The Committee has sent and received the following correspondence during the inquiry:
Letter from Minister for Children and Young People and Keeping the Promise, 19 March 2024
Follow up to the session on 9 November on kinship care from the Minister for Children Young People and Keeping the Promise
Response from the Child Poverty Action Group, 27 October 2023
Letter from the Kinship Care Advice Service Scotland (KCASS)., 25 October 2023
Response from CELCIS, the Centre for Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection, 25 October 2023
COSLA responded to the Committee on 6 October 2023
The Committee wrote to stakeholders seeking their views, 4 October 2023
Letter to COSLA, seeking an update, 4 October 2023
Letter from the Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping The Promise, 14 August 2023
Letter from COSLA to the SJSS Convener concerning the recommendations from the Kinship Care report, 13 July 2023
Letter from the SJSS Convener to COSLA concerning the recommendations from the Kinship Care report, 22 June 2023
Letter from Minister for Children and Young People, 23 November 2022
Letter from Minister for Children and Young People, 22 June 2022