Kinnect (360G-SCVO-a0g0N00001gBVOeQAO)

We are seeking funding to provide a new service in the North Lanarkshire area that will help alleviate poverty amongst new kinship carers referred to us , self referred to us or already supported by us who suddenly become in crisis particularly from the new benefit changes within the rural areas of North lanarkshire. As kinship carers become carers during a family crisis finances become stretched. For those Kinship carers who have been approached by agencies to care, they have complained to us many times that kinship funds are not processed efficiently or quickly enough, thus causing financial problems. For those informal carers we have been advised that their finances are even more stretched as they are unknown to authorities and they are oblivious to their welfare and financial rights. For both formal and informal carers, household difficulties to accommodate new bodies can also cause anxiety and stress. Gaining access to the correct advice and support can be difficult especially to those in rural areas. Especially now that DWP offices are closing, rural transport is limited and access to children and young people's groups restricted. We would like to provide outreach advice and support to kinship carers living in rural areas and anticipate supporting 15 families. This service will provide one to one visit to kinship carers homes to assess their needs, support them to try to meet their needs and to reduce isolation. We want to ensure that all kinship carers are receiving the correct income maximisation advice available, that all funding via statutory sector responsibility is met and that all relevant agencies that can improve kinship carers needs are utilised. We will also ensure that kinship carers supported by us are referred into other, newly available to us, funding streams and food initiatives . We wish to be in a position via staff to successfully refer into these funding streams eg the Buttle Trust Kinship Grant and the Family Fund. These are robust applications which require an in depth assessment of need are means tested and require a staff member to make an online application . We want to employ an existing qualified volunteer to this new position. Their existing skills and knowledge will benefit them when training, to provide the new service, to help alleviate poverty, reduce isolation and improve social and emotional needs.