The Royal Borough of Greenwich is preparing to launch a Kinship Care Strategy for 2026–29 alongside a new Kinship Local Offer, setting out how it intends to support relatives, friends and other connected adults who care for children when parents cannot do so. The announcement comes ahead of a borough programme from 5 to 10 October. Greenwich says more than 430 children are currently being cared for in kinship arrangements, and that the number is rising.
Keeping children connected
Kinship care can take many forms. A grandparent, aunt, older sibling, family friend or another adult already known to a child may step in, sometimes at short notice. The common purpose is to give a child a stable home within familiar relationships when that is safe and appropriate. Greenwich’s strategy is intended to help children remain connected to their families, friends, schools, communities, culture and identity, while reducing the need for them to enter foster care where a family-based arrangement can safely meet their needs.
That is an aim rather than a guaranteed outcome for every family. Decisions about a child’s care will still depend on individual circumstances and safety. The announcement does not suggest that kinship care is suitable in every case, nor does it set out an immediate change to how any particular child is cared for.
What the new offer is intended to cover
The three-year strategy describes a plan to strengthen practical assistance, financial support, training, advice and partnership working for kinship carers. It also commits the borough to listening to carers and young people with lived experience as services develop. The accompanying Local Offer is meant to make the support available locally clearer to families.
There is an important distinction between publishing an offer and creating an automatic entitlement. The launch announcement does not specify payment amounts, eligibility rules or a timetable for every service, so families should not assume that every type of assistance will apply in every arrangement. Those details matter because kinship care ranges from informal family support to arrangements with different legal statuses and responsibilities.
National rules now require local authorities to publish information about their approach to supporting children in kinship care and their carers, possible financial help and relevant local services. The required information can include support relating to health and wellbeing, relationships, education and training, and accommodation. Authorities must keep their offers under review; the framework also envisages consultation with children and carers before an offer or update is published.
A week of local activity
Greenwich will use the start of Kinship Care Week to put the plan into public view. On Monday 5 October, a Kinship Resources Surgery is scheduled to offer advice and guidance from council services and partner organisations. A multi-agency marketplace on the same day is due to host the formal launch of the strategy and Local Offer, giving families a chance to see what help is available in one place.
An awareness activity is planned across council offices on Wednesday 7 October. The borough programme is set to conclude with a Kinship Family Celebration Event on Saturday 10 October, bringing together carers, children, young people and professionals. As well as family activities and recognition, the event is intended to create an opportunity for feedback on future services.
What happens next
The local programme sits within a wider Kinship Care Week running from 5 to 11 October across England and Wales. For Greenwich, the practical test will be whether the Local Offer gives carers accessible information at the point they need it and whether feedback from families changes the support over time. The strategy is a new direction and public commitment; its effect on children and carers will depend on the detail of delivery, access and sustained involvement of the families it is designed to support.
