Christmas can be a particularly challenging time for kinship carers. It can be emotionally draining as there may be difficult family relationships to manage. Financially it can add a lot of stress and heartbreak, because kinship carers want to make it a special time for their little ones but are often struggling to put food on the table, let alone spending extra money on Christmas gifts.
Many families are aware that when they return to school the students will all be comparing presents and they don’t want their children to feel left out, especially as they may already be the odd one out and experience bullying because they don’t live with ‘mum and dad’.
We would like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has helped make Christmas easier and bit more magical for kinship families this year:
- To the Salvation Army for donating presents and food hampers for kinship families across England
- To the students at Teesside university who spent their own money buying gifts for kinship families in Middlesbrough
- To Fullstop Party Catering who donated some festive treats
- To East London Business Alliance who donated money and the volunteers who went shopping with it for toys for kinship families
- To Mission Christmas for supporting us again to make sure children receive a present at Christmas
- To the Masons for their wonderful donations in Bromley, London
- To Holey Molies for making 110 kinship families feel welcomed for their Christmas celebrations
- To Teesside Charity for their wonderful donations in Teesside
- To Christmas Lunch On Jesus for donating food hampers to kinship carers in Southwark
