Kinship carers provide loving, stable homes for children who cannot live with their parents, helping them stay connected to their families and communities.
Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Families Councillor Paul Maginnis paid tribute to their dedication and compassion.
He said:
"Kinship carers step up when children need them most. Whether it’s a grandparent, aunt, uncle or family friend, they open their hearts and homes to provide love, stability and security.
"Their commitment makes an enormous difference to children's lives, helping them maintain important family relationships and community connections while giving them the support they need to thrive.
“During Kinship Care Week, we want to thank every kinship carer in Derbyshire for the incredible role they play."
We are also launching our kinship offer which has been developed with local kinship families and aims to highlight the support available to carers to ensure they get all the information, guidance and support they need.
We have a dedicated kinship team which offers on-going support, as well as sign-posting families to helpful advice, emotional support, education guidance, peer support opportunities and access to therapeutic services where appropriate.
Find out more about Kinship Care.
Kinship Chesterfield, which supports kinship carers across Chesterfield, Bolsover and north east Derbyshire, is also hosting a number of events to raise awareness of the vital role kinship carers play.
Activities include a seminar, open to all schools in the area, exploring how they can better support children and young people in kinship care, as well as a celebration lunch bringing carers together to share experiences and recognise their achievements.
Councillor Maginnis added:
"We want kinship carers to know they are valued. We are committed to working alongside them, listening to their experiences and continuing to strengthen the support available for both carers and the children they look after."