Minister marks NI’s first Kinship Care Celebration Week
Date published:
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has paid tribute to the compassion and commitment of kinship foster carers at an event marking Northern Ireland’s first Kinship Care Celebration Week.
The focus of the week is to recognise and show gratitude to kinship foster carers who provide such positive experiences for the children in their care, often in difficult circumstances.
Kinship Care is an arrangement where a child who cannot be cared for by their parents is placed by a Health & Social Care Trust with a relative or family friend.
“Kinship care is a specialised type of care for a child which has unique strengths. It is a fundamental cornerstone of the children’s care system in Northern Ireland,” the Minister said.
“Kinship foster carers open their homes and their lives to children who need safety, stability, and security. You are the relatives, the grandparents, the older siblings, the aunts and uncles, and the close family friends who step up and make a real difference to so many young people in our community.
“This week we want to say a huge thank you for all that you do. You embody the core values of compassion and commitment.”
Minister Nesbitt visited Belfast Trust Kinship Foster Care offices where he met social work staff from the kinship care team and a number of kinship foster carers, including Thomas Spence. Mr Spence has been a kinship carer in the Belfast area for the last two years.
“I have had tremendous support from the Kinship care team and this week is so important as it gives kinship carers due recognition,” Mr Spence said.
“Everybody’s circumstances are different and this week has been an opportunity to get our voices across and to be heard.”
Eimear Hanna, Belfast Trust Head of Service, Adoption and Fostering Services, said: “We are so delighted to be celebrating our first ever Kinship Care week in Northern Ireland.
“As the Belfast Area has the highest number of Kinship carers across the region, this is a particularly important celebration for us. Due to families stepping up in challenging times we are able to keep our children close to their family, schools, friends, clubs and everything that is important to them Things that most of us are lucky enough to take for granted.”
“We want to extend our gratitude and thanks for everything they do to support our children.”
Notes to editors:
- Photo caption: Health Minister Mike Nesbitt with kinship carers. L-R Ruth McGuigan; Scot Hamilton; Anita Montgomery; Thomas Spence; Tracey McGuire; Brenda Slowey; Health Minister Mike Nesbitt; Kerrylee Weatherall, Interim Executive Director of Social Work.
- This Kinship Care Celebration Week is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland, with a number of events occurring throughout the region which have been organised by the Health & Social Care Trusts and supported by the Department of Health. Living with an adult already known to them gives a child comfort and consistency during time of significant trauma. That familiarity can be a significant support to the child in helping them to come to terms with their situation and understand how it has arisen.
- Of the 2,868 foster carers registered with HSC Trusts in NI in March 2025 (the latest date for which figures are available), 1,663 (58%) were kinship foster carers. These are relatives and family friends who have provided a placement for a child known to them.
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