Types of kinship care and what this means
There are different types of kinship care arrangements
- informal kinship arrangement
- private fostering arrangement
- child arrangements oder (CAO)
- kinship foster care
- special guardianship order (SGO)
Informal kinship arrangement
An informal kinship arrangement is a private family arrangement where a child lives with a relative or family friend.
In most cases:
- there is no court order
- the local authority is not involved
- the child's parents keep parental responsibility
- a close relative does not usually need to tell the local authority about the arrangement
Private fostering arrangement
A private fostering arrangement is when a child under 16 years old is cared for by someone who is not a close relative for 28 days or more.
In these arrangements:
- the local authority must be told about the arrangement
- the carer is assessed by the local authority
- the carer is not approved as a local authority foster carer
More information can be found on our private fostering page.
Child Arrangements Order (CAO)
A CAO is a court order that says a child will live with you.
With a CAO, here are few things to note:
- you share parental responsibility with the child's parent
- you can make important decisions about the child's care
- you do not need a fostering assessment
Kinship foster care
Kinship foster care is when a child is looked after by the local authority and lives with a family member or family friend who has been approved as a foster carer.
Special Guardianship Order (SGO)
An SGO is a court order that allows a child to live permanently with someone who is not their parent until they turn 18.
A Special Guardian has enhanced parental responsibility. This means they can make most important decisions about the child's care and upbringing.
However, a Special Guardian cannot do the following:
- agree to the child's adoption
- change the child's surname without permission
- take the child out of the UK for three months or more without permission
The child's parents keep some legal rights, but these rights are limited.