SEVEN years ago grand-mother Sarah Miller was given the news every mum dreads – her daughter Lucy had died suddenly and her 10-year-old grandson Luke was parentless.

She was now left grieving for her daughter and having to parent a young boy. Then aged 58, she had to give up work but – with no financial support from the state – she was left relying solely on her partner’s pension.

Sarah explained: “When my daughter died, it was a very dark time for us. Although my grandson was used to staying with us, it was a time of great upheaval. He still doesn’t talk about it much. Not only did we have to deal with the huge emotional burden, we quickly realised that there was absolutely no help available to us.”

Sarah read about a new charity in the then Worcester Evening News called Kinship Carers, based in Worcester. The charity champions the vital role of kinship carers when they take on the challenging role of permanently parenting someone else’s child.

Set up in 2011 by local carer Enza Smith, the charity was launched when Mrs Smith found herself in the isolated position of bringing up her daughter’s two small children, with none of the support available for those fostering or adopting.

This rang a chord with Sarah and her situation and since then she has attended the charity’s monthly support group - although most of those attending are there due to the natural parent’s being blighted by drugs and alcohol. Her story of bereavement is very different, however Sarah finds great solace in the support and understanding she receives.

She explained: “Listening to other stories has given me a sense of belonging and I no longer feel isolated. It has given me time to reflect and it is always both heart breaking and heart-warming to hear other stories. Such emotional help is vital.”

However, practical support for people like Sarah is virtually non-existent. When Luke was 16 years old, the benefits his mother had received stopped and, although Sarah tried every avenue to get some financial assistance, they were unable to get help - unlike those who adopt or foster.

Coupled with that is Luke’s mental health – he suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He is unlikely to leave his grandmother’s home and this is a constant worry as Sarah and her partner get older.

Even now as he is doing a computer course at college, Luke still remains a quiet and introverted young man.

Enza explained : “The legal status and support for kinship carers lags far behind foster parents and adoptive parents. While children who go through fostering or adoption are often given fast-tracked help with mental health problems, for example, this does not apply to children taken into the care of relatives for the same reasons of neglect or bereavement.

“This can mean waiting years to help children with serious attachment issues and some get very little help nor none at all.

“Similarly, foster parents have a set amount of financial support for taking in children, whereas some kinship carers are eligible for nothing, or only get help set at a discretionary rate by their local authority.”

Kinship Carers is currently working with local solicitors to highlight the legal rights of both carers and children, which can be bypassed by local authorities. The charity is also working with the University of Worcester on developing the UK’s first kinship programmes for both kinship carers and children. It is hoped these programmes will be rolled out throughout the UK later this year.

Enza concluded : “Raising awareness of our valuable work is critical if we are to have a positive impact on both carers and children.

“Sadly, for many reasons, some children cannot live with their natural parents. Perhaps parents have died or are unable or unsuitable to care for them. In such circumstances, grandparents, relatives and friends can be asked by social services to care for such children rather than having them placed with foster carers.

“Decisions to look after a child in these circumstances are often made at short notice, but such decisions are often life-changing, for carers and children. It can be a lonely and scary process which is completely unexpected and unprepared for.”

Kinship Carers run a number of local support groups at the following venues :

Redditch Support Group

Woodlands Children Centre, Langdon Close, Woodrow, Redditch, B98 7UZ. Second Monday of each month from 9.30am to 11.30am

Worcester Support Group

Perdiswell Young Peoples Leisure Centre, Droitwich Road, Worcester, WR3 7SN. Second Tuesday of each month from 9.30am to- 11.30am

Kidderminster Support Group

Simply Limitless Wellbeing Centre, Puxton Lane, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY11 5DF. Second Wednesday of each month from 9.30am to 11.30am

Bromsgrove Support Group

Sunny Fields Children’s Centre, Lyttleton Avenue, Charford, Bromsgrove B60 3FG. Second Thursday of each month from 9.30am to 11.30am

Malvern Support Group

Sunshine Children’s Centre, Bluebell Close, Malvern WR14 3SW. Second Friday of each month from 9.30am to 11.30am

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For further information about Kinship Carers call Enza Smith on 07714 531802 or visit http://www.frg.org.uk/need-help-or-advice/family-and-friends-carers/support-groups/west-midlands-support-groups/639-worcestershire-kinship-carers