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More than seven in 10 kinship carers had little or no time to prepare before taking responsibility for a relative’s or friend’s child, with many left without adequate support, according to new research published by Kinship.
The charity’s 2026 annual survey of more than 1,500 kinship carers across England and Wales found that 72% had no time to prepare for a child, while 42% had less than an hour to decide whether to take on the role and 19% had less than 24 hours. Although 87% described the decision as life-changing, 57% said they did not feel supported when they agreed to care for the child.
The findings, released for Kinship Care Week (5–11 October), highlight the pressures faced by relatives and family friends who step in when parents are unable to care for their children. More than 141,000 children in England and Wales are being raised in kinship care – twice the number in foster care – yet kinship carers often receive little preparation or support compared with foster carers.
The research found that taking on responsibility for a child could have significant consequences for carers’ employment, finances and personal relationships. Almost half (47%) said their relationships with family or friends had become strained, while 30% had postponed or abandoned plans to change career or take a new job. A further 30% reported pressure on their relationship with a partner or spouse, and 20% had postponed retirement or returned to work.
Financial pressures were also widespread. More than half (54%) struggled to afford their energy bills, while 47% had used savings to get by and 28% were relying on credit more than usual. Some 16% had gone without healthcare or dental treatment because of the cost, and 14% had skipped meals or used food banks.
Despite these difficulties, 56% said being a kinship carer had brought joy to their lives.
Kinship chief executive Lucy Peake said carers were frequently required to make major decisions during a family crisis, with an unexpected phone call capable of overturning their future plans.
She said that, unlike foster carers who receive preparation and ongoing support, kinship carers often had no notice and little assistance, leaving some to sacrifice employment, pensions, savings and retirement plans to keep children out of the care system.
“No-one should be pushed into poverty, forced to give up their career, delay retirement, or risk their wellbeing for doing the right thing,” she said, adding that kinship carers’ contribution to society was valued at £4.3bn to the economy.
Peake called for kinship carers’ contribution to children and society to be recognised through immediate practical, financial and emotional support. She said the charity would continue supporting families struggling to navigate their new roles and responsibilities where that assistance was lacking.
Alongside the survey findings, Kinship has launched Unplanned, Unprepared, Unwavering, a documentary photography series following seven families who took on the care of a relative’s or friend’s child without time to prepare. The families include Kinship ambassador and BBC Gladiators champion Josh McDonald and his 16-year-old brother, Max.
The series forms part of the charity’s campaign to raise awareness of kinship care and the support available to carers, including training, local peer-support groups, a free advice line and Kinship Compass, an online service to identify local support and services.
