Forced out: delivering equality for kinship carers in the workplace
1 June 2023
Forced Out explores the views and experiences of kinship carers around work, and reveals the devastating consequences which a lack of employment support is having for kinship families and for the state.
It calls on the Government to commit to introducing a right to kinship care leave on a par with adoption leave for all kinship carers within its forthcoming kinship care strategy and encourages employers to adopt kinship friendly employment policies.
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Employment support for kinship carers from employers and local authorities is typically poor or non-existent.
Many kinship carers experience stigmatising attitudes and a lack of understanding about the nature of kinship care, but even where there is goodwill and efforts made by individual managers and HR teams, the lack of specific statutory entitlements for kinship carers is significantly limiting the support they can receive.
Too many kinship carers are told to give up or reduce work by the local authority and then left without sufficient financial and other support to help them cope with the resultant impact this has on their families.
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68% of kinship carers said their employer didn’t offer support to kinship carers
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Only 23% of kinship carers were offered employment support by their local authority
The result is significant and often permanent unemployment and underemployment for kinship carers.
Poor employment support is driving kinship carers out of the labour market permanently and a lack of suitably flexible working options is preventing many from continuing in and returning to work as they would like to.
As kinship carers are disproportionately women, this is likely to be exacerbating existing gendered dynamics and inequalities in terms of employment and earnings.
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More than 4 in 10 kinship carers told us they had to leave work permanently after they became a kinship carer
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45% of kinship carers were forced to reduce their working hours after taking on the care of a child
This loss of employment is leading to devastating consequences for kinship families.
The result of forced withdrawal from employment is often significant financial hardship and poverty for kinship families. Kinship carers told us that losing their jobs often led to poor health and wellbeing, a loss of identity and relationships, and reduced stability for their children.
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More than 1/3 of kinship carers experienced an income drop of more than 50% after stepping up to take on the care of a child
It also comes at significant cost to the state.
Kinship carers are forced into the benefits system, creating significant and long-term impacts for the public purse. The lack of employment support for kinship carers and their subsequent withdrawal from the labour market is likely to be exacerbating significant workforce crises within our hospitals, schools and communities.
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28% of kinship carers had to claim benefits after taking on the care of a child due to a change in their employment status
Kinship carers want to see a right to paid leave and greater access to flexible working arrangements.
Kinship carers want time to settle and bond with children who have experienced trauma, separation and loss, without the intense worry which arises from unemployment and financial insecurity. They also want to see more flexible working options which consider their caring responsibilities, and greater employer understanding about the unique nature of kinship care.
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More than 1/2 of kinship carers said a right to paid leave would have prevented them from leaving work or changing their employment status
Recommendations
For more detail on each of our recommendations, please see the full report.
- The Government should introduce a right to paid kinship care leave for all kinship carers.
- The Government should ensure that its planned Pathfinder and pilot activity includes elements of employment support for kinship families.
- The Government should introduce a mandatory financial allowance for kinship carers.
- Local authorities should provide better employment advice and support to kinship families.
- Employers should introduce kinship friendly employment policies and seek to improve their understanding of kinship care.
Kinship Friendly Employers
Our Kinship Friendly Employers scheme encourages and supports organisations across England and Wales to ensure their kinship carer employees can access fair, flexible and funded support.
Become a Kinship Friendly EmployerKinship Care Leave policy
Many of Kinship’s current staff team are either kinship carers themselves or grew up in kinship care. Learn more about our Kinship Care Leave policy on our staff benefits page, under family-friendly policies.
Benefits of working for Kinship