Our kinship consultants develops a range of practice notes, briefings and other resources to support our members in their work. They also support the exchange of ideas and good practice at our regular practice forums.
Kinship Care Conference 2025: Developing a kinship local offer - What can we learn?
With the new statutory guidance for local authorities requiring publication of a kinship local offer, join us for a day of contemporary insights from researchers, sector organisations, carers, young people, parents and practitioners to network, discuss and explore how local authorities can shape and develop a good kinship local offer.
The day will create a supportive and collaborative learning experience to empower social work practitioners. Attendees will leave with knowledge, practical tools, and new connections to confidently take the next steps in producing their local offer.
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Get your early bird tickets
13 October | 9.30am - 4.30pm | London
We are delighted to announce Jahnine Davies, Kinship Ambassador, will be speaking at the Kinship Conference taking place on 13 October 2025 at QE2 Conference Centre, Coram Campus in London. From Monday 14 July at 10am, for two weeks (until Monday 28 July at 5pm), you can book your place at a discounted price. Secure your place at the early bird rate!
Kinship Care Week 2025
Kinship Care Week (6-12 October 2025) is an opportunity to raise awareness about the amazing role that kinship carers play in children’s lives and society. Despite increased government and national awareness, many people do not understand what kinship care actually is. Kinship Care Week is a time to celebrate and recognise all that kinship carers do for the children they love and look after. Kinship Care Week is a chance to think about the support that kinship carers provide to one another and for local authorities to think about their kinship local offer, including peer support.
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#ThisIsKinshipCare
This year the theme of Kinship Care Week is #ThisIsKinshipCare. CoramBAAF is supporting other organisations in the Kinship Care Alliance to help professionals, families and children understand what kinship care is.
Find out moreKinship Care Assessment (Form K) England
CoramBAAF is excited to publish the new Kinship Care Assessment (Form K) England. The change in name from 'Form C' to 'Form K' reflects the national policy reform agenda and a growing awareness of the complexity and importance of kinship care.
The new assessment amplifies the voice of the child, and the relationship between the child and the prospective kinship carer. It draws out strengths and highlights support needs. It enables a relationship-based and reflective assessment process that gathers and analyses the information required to inform decisions about a child’s future care.
The form can be used for both approval of kinship foster carers and recommendations for special guardianship orders; it is compliant with relevant law, regulations and statutory guidance. It includes an integral support plan and detailed guidance.
From Form C to Form K: the new standard for assessment
To align with the national policy reform agenda and address the complexity and importance of kinship care, we have collaborated with carers, practitioners, managers and parents to review Form C resulting in the creation of Form K to enable comprehensive assessments of prospective kinship carers.
Read morePrivate Fostering
Private fostering is a private arrangement made between a parent and a responsible adult for the care of a child under the age of 16 (under 18 if disabled). The person who will be looking after the child is not a parent or close relative of the child, and the arrangement is planned to last for at least 28 days.
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Start raising awareness today
Private foster carers may be from the extended family such as a cousin or great aunt. A private foster carer may be a friend of the family, the parent of a friend of the child, or someone previously unknown to the child’s family who is willing to privately foster the child.
Find out moreWorking with Ukrainian children and families

Top ten tips for social workers working with Ukrainian children
For those wanting a summary about how they can support Ukrainian children in kinship care families read our top ten tips!
This is a condensed version of our 'Frequently Asked Questions' resource,- we have included the headlines and key points from our longer document to offer a shorter and accessible version as an introduction to the topic.

Supporting kinship carers of Ukrainian refugee children (2024)
Read the latest version of our FAQs which has been updated to reflect the changes to visa schemes. We have produced a set of comprehensive FAQs to help professionals navigate the tricky interface between social care and immigration law.
Download nowIncorporating what matters to children into practice with kinship care
We are delighted to be able to publish Dr Paul Shuttleworth's latest work, ‘Incorporating what matters to children into practice with kinship care: Listen, Understand, Do’.
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Listen, Understand, Do
A practical guide to listening to children living in kinship families to help ensure that their voices and views are heard and acted upon.The guide is accompanied by a short video that powerfully illustrates the importance of listening to children.
Find out moreIn our bookshop
All BooksKinship care and Special Guardianship: what it is and what it means
This short, colourful booklet is part of CoramBAAF’s series of publications for children and young people, which aim to explain concepts in adoption and fostering that they may find difficult to understand.
Read moreKinship care: some questions answered
This Advice Note explores kinship care, also called family and friends care or connected persons care, providing basic, clear facts for those who may be thinking about looking after a child in this situation.
Read morePrivate fostering: what it is and what it means
This short, colourful booklet is part of CoramBAAF’s series of publications for children and young people, which aim to explain concepts in adoption and fostering that they may find difficult to understand.
Read moreUnlawful placements in kinship care
In many situations, the reality of the placement becoming unlawful speaks more to the limitations of the regulations themselves, than whether the placement is the best place for a child to live. In an effort to help practitioners navigate these challenges, we have published the following a practice note.
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Need advice?
Information for kinship carers
Wherever possible children who cannot live with their birth parents should be looked after by family members, friends of the family or someone they know well. There are different legal frameworks for this care. Similarly, if you are a step-parent and you want to formalise your relationship to your stepchild, several options are available to you to give the child security.
Browse our advice and information
Placing a child abroad?
The Outbound Permanence Service provides specialist information & advice on the legal, assessment and support options available in the overseas country.
Get adviceGet involved
Our multidisciplinary groups and provide a platform to our members so we can advocate on their behalf to Government, and ensure that their voices are heard in the development of legislation, policy and practice.

Kinship Care Practice Forum
Discuss developing areas of policy and share views at our Kinship Care Practice Forum.

Private Fostering Practice Forum
Discuss developing policy and practice dilemmas in Private Fostering arrangements.
Find out more