Plans to change funding for carers under fire

GRANDPARENTS, aunts and uncles who look after extended family members are set to clash with the Scottish Government in a protest over its flagship children’s legislation.

Kinship carers, who take on vulnerable young relatives, will be legally recognised for the first time if the Children and Young People Bill becomes law.

The Scottish Government says the legislation will strengthen relatives’ rights and say it could end the situation where hundreds of “informal” carers do not receive support.

But MSPs arriving for a debate at Holyrood on Wednesday will be met with a storm of protest from campaigners.

The Scottish Kinship Care Alliance say the proposals will mean effective funding cuts for growing numbers of kinship carers.

There are at least 20,000 children being raised in Scotland by members of their extended family. In most cases their parents have died or are unfit to care for them.

They are split into two categories — looked after, where the state has a say in their upbringing, and non-looked after.

Under the new rules, the children of relatives granted kinship care orders will not be classed as looked after.

SKCA claims it will mean they will not automatically qualify for the same support as looked after children in foster or residential care.

SKCA chairman Anne Swartz said: “It is despicable the Scottish Government are trying to further reduce support, which is already inadequate, under this Bill.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We believe this extra support will help kinship carers provide a more stable environment for the children in their care.”