New social work service to target ‘kinship carers’ in Aberdeenshire

A NEW social work service to support family members or friends who take care of youngsters full-time will be launched today.

The Aberdeenshire Council initiative will target the “kinship carers” in a series of events this month.

The local authority currently has 150 children being looked after by relatives or by people they are closely connected to.

Sessions will be held across Aberdeenshire to give carers an opportunity to meet the team and find out how the local authority could help.

The first of the forums will be today at the Harvest Centre on Castle Street, Banff, from 10am-noon.

On Thursday from 11am-1pm a session will be held at the Stonehaven Family Resource Centre on Woodview Place. A forum will be held at the Inverurie Loco Works Social Club on Harlaw Road, Inverurie, on Thursday, June 10, from 11am-1pm, while carers at Peterhead will have the opportunity to meet the team at a session on Monday, June 14, from 2-4pm at the Hot Spot on Kirk Street.

The final session will be on Tuesday, June 22, from 10am-noon at the Old Parish Church Centre on Hawthorn Road at Fraserburgh.

The team also wants to hear from people who live in the area but are not known to the authority as carers.

The council is surveying carers. To take part visit www.surveymonkey.com/s/kinshipcarers.

A paper version is also available by calling 01261 813405 or e-mailing [email protected]