A MONTHLY coffee morning will create space for family members caring for children whose parents are unable to look after them.
Coffee morning organisers Paul and Carol Wassell will lead a local group for kinship carers from the Wokingham, Bracknell and Reading areas.
England and Wales charity, Kinship, provides support and advice for those responsible for a young family member.
Kinship care is when a child lives full-time or most of the time with a relative or close family friend.
Usually, this is because their parents are not able to care for them.
In the UK, there are more than 180,000 children in kinship care.
Grandparents are the most common kinship carers, but older siblings, aunts, uncles, and people who know the child well can also take on the role.
Organiser Paul Wassell said: “We’re looking for carers in the area to come and join us.
“They may be grandparents, or other family relatives.”
The Wassells are themselves legal guardians of a child in their care.
“It can be helpful to have other people to talk to who understand your journey,” he continued.
“Often kinship carers don’t know what their next steps might be, and this is where shared experience can be a great support.
“We would have appreciated advice about legal guardianship, for example, when we were at that stage.”
Research shows that around half of children are in kinship care because their parents have had problems with drugs or alcohol.
Young people may also need kinship care if their parents die, go to prison, or they are abusive, neglectful or unwell.
Many children in kinship care will have experienced trauma.
A kinship carer provides a stable home life where they can grow and develop in a safe, positive environment.
They also get to stay in their existing family network, which helps maintain their sense of identity and family relationships.
“The new group will be a place where carers can get together for guidance and support, and to meet with others on the same journey.” said Mr Wassell.
Monthly coffee mornings will take place at The Cornerstone, Norreys Avenue, Wokingham, on the fourth Wednesday of each month, from 10am until 11am.
The first get-together is scheduled for Wednesday, September 27, with kinship carers able to just turn up.
Due to the sensitive nature of conversations, children are not permitted to the group.
For more information, visit: www.compass.kinship.org.uk or call Kinship South East volunteer co-ordinator Tracey Wilding: 07518 291739.
