Intandem is delighted to be partnering with Kinship to strengthen support for kinship families in West Dunbartonshire, ensuring they receive the right support when they need it most.
The collaboration, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, will build on Inspiring Scotland’s existing work in the area through Intandem, a mentoring programme supporting young people experiencing the care system. Intandem operates across many local authority areas in Scotland and, in West Dunbartonshire, is delivered by Y sort it, a local community youth project supporting young people in the area.
Kinship care—where relatives or close family friends step in to care a child when parents are unable to—is the most common form of care in Scotland. Recent Scottish Government figures show that 35% of children looked after away from home are in kinship care, and in West Dunbartonshire this is over 50%. As a result, Ysortit has seen increasing demand for support for both young people growing up in kinship care and their carers.
In response, Inspiring Scotland is partnering with Kinship to bring the Kinship Connected programme to West Dunbartonshire. Kinship Connected is a pioneering approach and the UK’s most developed and evidence-based kinship navigator programme. The programme introduces a dedicated Kinship Navigator role, providing personalised 1:1 support to kinship families, helping improve kinship carer confidence and access to support while strengthening stability.
They will also provide practical guidance, help kinship carers navigate systems, understand their rights, access local services and financial support, and ensure support is joined up and responsive to family needs.
Kinship already supports kinship carers across Scotland through information available on their website. The Kinship Navigator will be based within the Y sort it hub, while working collaboratively with existing services in communities across West Dunbartonshire. The role is designed to complement and strengthen existing support, helping families access the right information, services and relationships at the right time, rather than duplicating provision already available locally.
Kinship Connected is the UK’s most developed, evidence-based kinship navigator programme. By combining trusted relationships with practical guidance, it provides a single, consistent point of contact for families—helping them feel more confident, supported and less alone.
Bringing together expertise and experience from across the three organisations and the local community, the partnership will complement existing services and relationships while enhancing support for young people growing up in kinship care, and the family members who support them.
Celia Tennant, Inspiring Scotland Chief Executive, said:
“We are delighted that the National Lottery Community Fund grant has enabled this exciting collaboration between Kinship, Ysortit and Inspiring Scotland. The Fund’s focus on work across multiple UK nations has created an opportunity to intentionally bring together work that is already making a difference across parts of the UK, building on and enabling us to strengthen and scale our Intandem mentoring support for young people in kinship care.
“Building on the support and expertise already available in West Dunbartonshire, this partnership aims to strengthen and complement existing services for young people in kinship care and their families. By bringing together the experience of local partners and national organisations, we hope to generate valuable learning and influence how systems better support kinship families in the future. We are committed to delivering lasting change in West Dunbartonshire whilst influencing wider change in Scotland and UK-wide.”
Lucy Peake, Kinship Chief Executive, said:
“We know that kinship carers often step in at a moment of crisis and take on huge responsibilities, often without the support they need. Our Kinship Connected navigator programme is making sure kinship families in Scotland have a single, trusted person to turn to. Someone who can help them navigate complex systems, access the right support and feel less alone.
“What makes this approach especially powerful is the way it enables us to support kinship carers and their children directly – combining trusted relationships, practical help and consistent support around the whole family. We’re delighted to be working with Inspiring Scotland and local partners in West Dunbartonshire, building on the strong foundations already in place. Our approach is rooted in collaboration to ensure kinship families get the support and stability they deserve.”
Gillian Kirkwood, Ysortit CEO, said:
“We are looking forward to working alongside Kinship, bringing together our services to ensure young people growing up in kinship care and kinship carers are supported.
“The introduction of the Kinship Navigator role within West Dunbartonshire will be a valuable addition, offering much-needed dedicated one-to-one support and guidance at a time when kinship families in the area need it most. By working together, we can provide more joined up support and help ensure that kinship families receive the right support, at the right time.”
Kinship is now recruiting for the Kinship Navigator role in West Dunbartonshire. Read here for more details: Kinship Navigator – West Dunbartonshire with Kinship – Goodmoves