Kinship Care Mediation

Kinship care describes arrangements in which children live with a relative or close family friend, usually because their parents are unable to care for them. This intervention, developed by Family Solutions, aims to use mediation to help kinship carers and parents communicate better and support them to make decisions about the child, while taking the child’s view into account.

We have commissioned Coram to conduct a feasibility study of the Kinship Care Mediation pilot, to determine whether or not the intervention can be evaluated. The intervention will be delivered to kinship families in four local authorities in the South Hampshire area: Hampshire County Council, Portsmouth City Council, Southampton City Council, and Isle of Wight Council. Coram will use an approach based on rapid cycle design and testing, and will act as a collaborative and critical learning partner to Family Solutions as the intervention develops over the one-year delivery phase.

Kinship families will be offered four in-person mediation sessions, typically over 16 weeks. These sessions will also include support with conflict management, positive parenting techniques, and communication skills. Children aged 10 or over will also be offered consultation as part of the sessions, and mediation training will be provided for 70 professionals.