Section 3B: Deciding if your kinship peer support group should meet in person or online

The first step

A kinship peer support group provides a supportive space for any kinship carer to come along to. A trusted place where they can chat to others in similar situations, who really understand and support one another on their journey. You’ll help create this.

Different groups meet in different ways. Some online and others in person. Some even use both of these to offer flexibility – we call this a hybrid group. This section explores all three of these options to help you decide what would help you create the space you want.

In person or online kinship support groups – what’s best?

You may already have a feeling about what style of group will work best for you. There is no right or wrong answer or set way to do things.

Below are some of the pros and cons about forming a group that meets in person or online.

Pros of in-person support groups:

• if your kinship child(ren) are school age, you might have time during the school day to meet
• meeting in person can help develop close relationships and trust becomes easier for some
• some groups meet in spaces where there is free childcare available for an hour, this can work really well for kinship carers with younger children
• if the group wants to bring in guest speakers or hold training, this can work better in person

Cons of in-person support groups:

• meeting during the day is often easier – but if you work, this could be hard to juggle
• walking through the door of a group, not knowing anyone can be scary and for some, it might be too much and the reason they don’t attend
• some carers may not be able to leave their house, or have problems accessing transport to get to a group

Pros of online support groups:

• if you work, meeting online, perhaps after children’s bedtimes can allow you to attend
• some kinship carers may struggle for health reasons to leave the house, so online groups work well for them
• if your child(ren) are not yet at school, finding time to meet in person might be tight, so an online group could offer the flexibility you might need
• some are more comfortable to meet online rather than in person for the first time and in the comfort of their own home

Cons of online support groups:

• it can be harder to connect with people online – for example, some people might not want to turn on their video
• others can find technology challenging or may not have access to a smart phone or computer
• finding a quiet and private space at home to join the group might be hard for some kinship carers

How often should my peer support group meet and at what time?

This is totally up to you but it’s really important that the group meets regularly and is consistent so it can become part of kinship carers’ routines.

How often to meet

Most groups meet at least once a month, but you could run weekly, fortnightly or monthly. It all depends on how much time you can commit. You will need to ensure you have the time to attend each session and keep up with any admin you need to do.

Things can come up and you may need to cancel one, find an alternative date or someone else could take the lead, and that’s OK. Just be sure to give everyone as much notice as possible.

Timing of the support group

People may find it difficult to attend a support group at certain times of the day. For example, groups that start before 10am and finish after 2pm may not be accessible for kinship carers who are limited by school runs. For this reason, many groups start between 10am and 12 noon, or for some online groups, in the evenings after bedtimes. As you get started, this is something you could talk to your members about to see what fits best for most people.

Also, try to see what else is going on in your community. Try not to clash with other popular activities in the area such as regular get-togethers in the community hall.

What if I need to change how we meet?

Some groups have had to adapt how they meet. For example, many groups that met in person had to stop during the Covid-19 lockdown. For many kinship carers, their group is a really important part of their routine and how they access support. This meant many groups decided to meet online instead. This brought some challenges, many of which are outlined above. But it has also meant that more people are now used to meeting online.

If you need to change how you meet, make sure that your group agree. Some might need additional support connecting to an online group, or if you are changing to meet in person, some may struggle with travel. Discuss the options with your group and find the best solution you can.