Kinship care and family strengthening around the globe
Honouring and strenghtening families worldwide
What is kinship care
Kinship care is when a child or young person lives full-time with a relative or family friend because they cannot live with their birth parents. Often, keeping children in the care of kin keeps them connected to family and nurtures a sense of belonging. It can be vital for children’s identities and their connection to their culture.
The issue
Kinship Care happens everywhere. Globally, millions of people and communities are caring for children that are not biologically their own. While this seems natural, there is one critical issue: too often, kinship carers are not supported by governments, policies and laws.
This is where Family For Every Child comes in
In depth conversations and collaboration with network has resulted in Our Global Kinship Care Guide – a research paper that is first of its kind. Recognised by the United Nations as a vital resource in the fight to change systems, laws and policies to better support kinship carers and acknowledge the role they play in society.
The global guidance on kinship care
How to support kinship care: lessons learnt around the world
In 2022, we brought together over 40 child rights organisations to create the first global guidance on strengthening kinship care. Grounded in frontline expertise and introduced by Ann Skelton, former Chair of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, this report offers practical direction for policymakers and programme managers to better support kinship care families.
6th – 12th of October 2025
Global Kinship Care Week 2025 marked our second year of shining a light on kinship families worldwide. This year’s message is clear: kinship care is a vital way to keep families strong and prevent breakdown.
Find out how you can get involved, access resources like our campaign pack and Global Kinship Care Guide, and help spread the word to ensure kinship families are recognised and celebrated everywhere. Join our global community on Changemakers for Children and more!
Children who cannot be cared for by their birth parents don’t always have to go into state care. Often, there is another way. It’s called kinship care and it happens around the globe, keeping children connected and families together.
Our work in Aotearoa is backed by
Accredited, collective research and global campaigning
An international network who care and want to be involved
Recognition and consultative status at the United Nations
The goal?
We believe all children deserve love, safety and support from people who care. We want to make sure that Kinship Care families are vetted and receive support to provide the best possible care for the children that they take in. We work with local leaders and communities, leaning on learnings from around the world to make this happen.
Find out how we lead conversations
We’ve gathered a collective of local leaders in Aotearoa to find out how we can stegnthen systems to better support kinship care
Our community of partner organisations, both locally and globally, connect through our online platform designed for collaboration.
With partners around the world, we run Global Kinship Care Week – a campaign that rallies for policies that recognise and support all families
Our podcast Series “Conversations on Care” broadcasts the perspectives of kinship care families and those who support them
Imagine this…
Someone you love – your daughter, nephew, or a close friend — suddenly can’t care for their child. Maybe they’re struggling with addiction, financially or illness. Maybe they’ve been incarcerated. Maybe they’ve passed away.
Because you love and know this child, you step in. You open your heart and your home, and overnight, you become their parent… but then, reality hits. There’s no financial help, no mental health support and no one to guide you through this new role. You are left to figure it all out on your own, while trying to keep a child safe and loved.
This happens to thousands of kinship carers every year. They are the invisible heroes who step up when a child needs them most, yet they often receive no support at all.
With the right help, kinship care can be the safest, most loving option for children who can’t be with their parents.
Policies
Connect
2025 Family for Every Child New Zealand Trust | Registration no. CC54645 | Company no. 2670471
2025 Family for Every Child is a charitable company limited by guarantee | Registered charity in England and Wales no. 1149212 | Company no. 08177641
2025 Family Alliance Inc. | Family Alliance is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organisation registered in NYS | EIN 46-5518730
