Our report – 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.
Making work pay for kinship carers
28 May 2025
Our new research strengthens the case for paid kinship care leave ahead of the government’s review of the parental leave system.
Kinship has been campaigning to secure greater employment support for kinship carers for over a decade, and since 2023, our Kinship Friendly Employer scheme has supported leading employers to deliver paid leave policies for kinship carers in their workforces. Our #ValueOurLove campaign has mobilised thousands of kinship carers across the country to push for change, leading to some welcome government action and growing cross-party support for our call for equalised pay and leave between adoptive and kinship families – but the pace of change has been too slow.
A renewed case for kinship care leave
Our new research reveals how poor employment support is pushing kinship carers out of the labour market unnecessarily – and keeping them there. Analysis of more than 1,300 responses to our 2024 annual survey of kinship carers reveals that:
- the majority of kinship carers are in work before they take on the role.
- becoming a kinship carer often results in permanent labour market withdrawal.
- paid kinship care leave could support many kinship carers to return to employment.
- economic inactivity amongst kinship carers remains high compared to parents.
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3 in 4 kinship carers were in paid work immediately before they became a kinship carer
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45% of those in paid work stopped working when they took on the care of a relative or friend's child
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8 in 10 kinship carers who left work have never returned to paid employment
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3% of kinship carers were able to take a period of paid employment leave
The current government’s focus on boosting employment rights and “making work pay” provides a unique opportunity to finally secure a new right to statutory pay and leave for kinship carers when they step up to care for a relative or friend’s child.
We’re calling on the government to commit to exploring this within the scope of its forthcoming review of the parental leave system, and to work alongside kinship families to design policy solutions which work for families and employers.
Advice on employment rights for kinship carers who need time off work, including flexible working, time for dependants and parental leave.
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