The need to continue to help kinship carers has been stressed, after it was revealed that a support service is under threat

A service which provides vital support to kinship carers faces an uncertain future.

The East Lothian Kinship Care service, operated by Children 1st, is set to close this summer due to a lack of funding.

The service provides specialised support to vulnerable youngsters and their carers – and is one of three areas in Scotland, alongside, Ayrshire and the Highlands, where the charity operates from a care hub.

Linda Jardine, director of children and families for Children 1st, said that the charity is still working to find alternative solutions to continue to fund the £106,000 a year kinship service.

She said: “We are continuing to work with kinship care families affected by the changes in East Lothian to better understand what support is most helpful to them and will continue to seek funding opportunities for this type of work in future.

“We also aim to maintain some social opportunities for local kinship care families to come together, because we recognise how important this can be for children and their families.”

Scores of families are set to be affected by the closure of the service, which offers emotional and practical support for youngsters and their parents, as well as intensive therapy to address loss, harm and trauma.

Staff have stressed the importance of keeping support networks in place, with children often relying on one-to-one support with people who they know and trust.

Jardine said she recognised the need for specialist help to continue to be provided to those who use the service.

“It takes incredible strength to step in and provide love, stability and safety for a child because their birth parents have been unable to do so,” she said.

“It can also be very challenging for carers who are trying to meet the many competing needs in this situation. Kinship care families can need practical support to adapt to their new circumstances and also emotional support to make sure children recover from the trauma of their earlier experiences.”

Those who use the service have also stressed the importance of ensuring it is retained.

“They have been my lifeline. I have never known a service to do so much,” said Jan Duffy, a woman who began caring for her two grandsons following the death of her daughter.

“Before, I was in limbo – I didn’t know how to claim benefits, I didn’t know anything. It’s a shame that they’re not getting funding, there’s not anything else for kinship carers.”