This page brings together a range of resources specifically designed for kinship carers and special guardians. While many general parenting resources may also be helpful, the information here focuses on the unique experiences and needs of those who have taken on a caring role for a child who cannot live with their birth parents.
These free resources showcase some of the content available to CATCH members, To access our full library of resources, tools, and support, become a CATCH member through your agency or buy an individual membership.
This a clip from episode 1, where Andrea and her guests look at what’s involved in the process of becoming a special guardian. One interviewee discusses his experience of becoming a special guardian for his grandchildren and how the relationship he had with social workers developed during the process.
This webinar is designed to support special guardians to navigate family time (previously known as contact) with birth family. She talks about how to establish contact, plan, review and make it positive, covering how to support all those involved in family time and recognise the importance of connection, communication and honesty around this sensitive subject.
If you have become a special guardian recently, or are considering doing so, you might have some questions about how special guardianship differs from fostering, whether you should pursue adoption and what separates you from other kinship carers.
Managing contact with birth parents is one of the most challenging aspects of being a special guardian. It can throw up difficulties for children, who may be struggling to understand why their living arrangements have changed, the absence of mum and dad, or earlier life experiences. Meanwhile, special guardians are managing the balancing act between taking parental responsibility for the children while also managing their own relationship with their family member.
This webpage gives guidance to special guardians and kinship carers navigating pupil premium and pupil premium plus. Pupil Premium is given to schools to support children from low income families, while Pupil Premium Plus is a payment to schools to support children in the care of a local authority, adopted children and those who have a Special Guardianship Order in place.