Meet Alan and Glenise

“Two years ago, social services came to us and asked if we would take in our 6-year-old grandson otherwise he would go into care. We had to make a decision then and there.”

As part of our new documentary photography series – Unplanned, Unprepared, Unwavering – we are sharing images from the home of Alan and Glenise, from Doncaster, who are kinship carers to their 8-year-old grandson Tommy.

Alan, who is 80 and disabled, and Glenise, 79, had no time to prepare for the financial, practical and emotional support that they would need as kinship carers.

“We didn’t have time to think but obviously we didn’t want him to go into care, so we said yes. Three weeks later they called at 1.30pm to say they were bringing him from school to our house that day. He arrived at 3.30pm with just the clothes he stood up in and sat on my knee in tears.

“We’re both pensioners ,,,,they said we could have £160 a week to help look after him for two years and then we would be reassessed. That money enabled me to give Tommy the things he wants and needs to do.

“The two years are up now, and I fear we will not qualify for any financial support for him. I can just about afford things like basketball and swimming for him after school but we won’t be able to continue these activities without financial help, especially with the cost-of-living putting prices up on everything.

“Our grandson has brought a lot of joy into our lives. We love him very much and are very proud of him. We recently made a model together about the fire of London that he loved and took into school.”