Rees Centre report reveals challenges faced by Black and Asian kinship carers

Kinship carers are relatives or family friends who step up to look after children when their parents are no longer able to care for them. Most of the Black and Asian kinship carers involved in the research said when they asked for help nothing was offered, leaving them feeling abandoned by the system. 

Universally, kinship carers need extra financial support and help to address children’s needs and feel that they are not navigating the challenges on their own. Black and Asian carers’ experiences were intensified by assumptions made by services, the absence of support groups tailored for specific ethnic groups and the impact of systemic racism on the carers and children they were raising.

Dr Priya Tah and Professor Julie Selwyn, Rees Centre

The 'Raised by Relatives; The experiences of Black and Asian kinship carers' research reveals that while Black and Asian kinship carers face similar barriers to other kinship families such as a lack of financial support, they also deal with specific challenges, including cultural stigma, systemic racism and limited access to support and tailored services. 

The report says that these barriers intensified Black and Asian carers’ struggles and highlighted the need for improved understanding and service provision. 

Some kinship carers reported that a sense of being judged, a lack of cultural understanding by professionals, and assumptions that help would be available to them through extended family support meant they were denied support. 

Figures suggest that 1 in every 5 children of the 120,000 children living in kinship care in England are being raised by minority ethnic kinship carers. However, there has been a major gap in research on the experience of kinship carers in Black and Asian communities, with organisations and service providers often not knowing what support to offer. 

Kinship’s study produced by the Rees Centre at the Department of Education at the University of Oxford and supported by the KPMG Foundation aims to address these gaps. The findings will be used to ensure that services provided by Kinship and other organisations, plus policy and practice within Children’s Services are aligned to the specific needs of Black and Asian kinship carers. 

Research leads, Dr Priya Tah and Professor Julie Selwyn from the Rees Centre at the University of Oxford Department of Education, said:

'The Raised by Relatives report addresses a gap in knowledge, as the research enabled Black and Asian kinship carers the space to share their experiences of raising a family member’s child.  

'Universally, kinship carers need extra financial support and help to address children’s needs and feel that they are not navigating the challenges on their own. Black and Asian carers’ experiences were intensified by assumptions made by services, the absence of support groups tailored for specific ethnic groups and the impact of systemic racism on the carers and children they were raising. 

'This report sheds light on these added complexities and provides recommendations that will enable carers to ensure their children’s needs are met and that they are safe, loved, and thriving.'

Kinship will be hosting a workshop for kinship carers and professionals in April which will take the report findings and translate them into an action plan for the sector, including outlining what Kinship’s commitment to Black and Asian kinship carers will be. 

The report’s recommendations include: 

• A public awareness campaign to reach and engage Black and Asian kinship carers about available information, advice and support 
• Comprehensive financial, practical and emotional support for Black and Asian kinship carers, targeted peer support, adequate and appropriate housing, support for children in kinship families and help to manage family relationships 
• Professional curiosity and cultural competence among professionals.  

For more details, read the executive summary and full report.