Your story, your voice,
your future
A creative youth development and lived-experience research social enterprise specialising in kinship care, working with young people across the UK.
Creativity, research and support
Creative Programmes
DJing, music production, design, event production and routes into the creative industries.
Research
Youth-led, lived-experience research that puts young people's voices in front of decision makers.
Support & Advice
Clear information on your rights, housing, education, employment and mental health.
Partnerships
Training and projects with organisations that want to better support young people in kinship care.
Why we exist
Young people in kinship care and under Special Guardianship Orders often miss out on the support and opportunities other young people get, and the help on offer changes depending on where they live. We use creative work to build skills and confidence, and research to make sure young people's experiences shape the decisions that affect their lives.
Read our storyWant to get involved?
Join a programme, find support, or partner with us on a project.
About Kinship Ties
Meet Emmanuella
I'm Emmanuella, a social justice advocate and multidisciplinary creative with a background in marketing, passionate about creating spaces where underrepresented voices are heard.
I am a care-experienced young person who grew up under a Special Guardianship Order (SGO). For a long time, my SGO family was my safety net. However, when the order ended at 18, so did the structured support from social services. This was a sudden and disorienting transition that left me, and countless others like me, facing a cliff-edge of support.
Without programmes like D&AD Shift, WYK Digital, and Apprentice Nation, I would have easily become a statistic: only 14% of care leavers go on to university, compared to 47% of their non-care-experienced peers. These programmes helped me find community, gain work experience, and build a network.
The prognosis for young people who are care leavers is stark: research shows 14% have slept rough and 26% have sofa-surfed, me included. My lived experience navigating systemic barriers shaped my understanding of inequality and fuelled my drive to challenge injustice.
Through my advocacy with the Bexley Children in Care Council, my time as a "Changemaker" with Big Change, and my marketing work for Brixton Finishing School and the Greenwich Maritime Museum, I learned the importance of youth-led solutions, where young people are the architects of their own change.
Creativity, voice and opportunity
Kinship Ties is a creative youth development and lived-experience research social enterprise specialising in kinship care. We work with young people across the UK to explore their creativity, build practical skills and make their voices heard.
Alongside our creative programmes and research, we provide clear, youth-tested information on housing, education, employment and mental health, because where you live should never decide what support you get.
What we stand for
- Accessibility: information should be easy to find, understand, and use, regardless of where you live.
- Youth-centred: our content is designed with and for young people, meeting your real needs.
- Reliability: we provide accurate, up-to-date information you can trust.
- Support: we're here to help you navigate your journey with confidence.
Our Team
Emmanuella Okha
Joel Jack
Chid Igwe
The Gap We're Bridging
Currently, there is no consistent source of information about rights and support for young people in kinship care across the UK. Local authorities provide varying levels of support, and many young people struggle to understand what help is available. We're changing this by creating a central hub of reliable, accessible information that serves all young people in kinship care, regardless of their location.
What is Kinship Care?
Understanding Kinship Care
Kinship care is when a child is looked after by a family member or friend, rather than by their parents. This could be a grandparent, older sibling, aunt, uncle, or close family friend.
It's a form of care that keeps children within their family network, maintaining important connections and relationships during difficult times.
What is a Special Guardianship Order (SGO)?
A Special Guardianship Order (SGO) is a legal order that gives a person (the special guardian) parental responsibility for a child. It's designed to provide a more permanent arrangement than fostering, but without completely severing the legal link between the child and their birth parents.
Special guardians have the authority to make most decisions about the child's upbringing, though birth parents retain parental responsibility.
Common Questions
Who can be a kinship carer?
What's the difference between kinship care and SGO?
What rights do I have as a young person under SGO?
Can I get financial support?
What happens when I turn 18?
Need More Information?
Every situation is unique, and you may have specific questions about your circumstances. Our Support & Advice section provides detailed information on various topics, or you can reach out to the organisations listed there for personalised guidance.
Remember: you have the right to understand your situation and access the support available to you.
Go to Support & AdviceSupport & Advice
Access information and resources on the key areas that matter to you.
Your Rights
As a young person leaving kinship care or an SGO arrangement, you may be entitled to housing support from your local authority. This can include advice, priority housing status, or support to find suitable accommodation.
Key Resources
- Shelter: free housing advice and support. Call 0808 800 4444
- Citizens Advice: information on housing rights and benefits
- Local authority housing team: contact for leaving-care support
- Staying Put arrangements: may allow you to remain with your kinship carer past 18
What to Know
Start planning early, ideally 6–12 months before you turn 18 or need to move. Speak with your social worker or leaving-care team about your housing options and what support is available.
Financial Support
You may be eligible for additional financial support for education, including:
- Higher Education Bursary for care leavers
- 16–19 Bursary Fund for college students
- Help with course costs and equipment
- University accommodation support
Academic Support
Many schools, colleges, and universities offer additional support for young people from kinship care backgrounds, including tutoring, mentoring, and counselling services.
Key Organisations
- The Care Leavers Association: educational advice and support
- Become Charity: information on educational rights
- Your designated teacher / personal advisor at school or college
Getting Started
There are many programmes and services designed to help young people from care backgrounds into work:
- Apprenticeship opportunities with care-leaver support
- Work experience and volunteering programmes
- CV writing and interview skills workshops
- Mentoring and career guidance
Financial Support
You may be entitled to support with work-related costs such as interview clothes, travel expenses, or equipment needed for work. Speak with your personal advisor or leaving-care team.
Helpful Resources
- National Careers Service: free careers advice. Call 0800 100 900
- Jobcentre Plus: support finding work and claiming benefits
- Drive Forward Foundation: employment support for care leavers
- Your local authority's leaving-care employment team
Accessing Support
Your mental health matters. There are many services available to support your emotional wellbeing, and you have the right to access help when you need it.
Crisis Support
- Childline: 0800 1111 (free, confidential, 24/7)
- Young Minds Crisis Messenger: text YM to 85258
- Samaritans: 116 123 (free, 24/7)
- Papyrus (suicide prevention): 0800 068 4141
Ongoing Support
- Your GP can refer you to local mental health services (CAMHS or adult services)
- School / college counselling services
- Young Minds: information and resources for young people's mental health
- Mind: mental health support and information. Call 0300 123 3393
- The Mix: support for under-25s. Call 0808 808 4994
Self-Care Resources
Online resources like the NHS mental health apps library, Kooth (free online counselling for young people), and various mental health charities offer tools for managing stress, anxiety, and other challenges.
Need Immediate Help?
If you're in crisis or need urgent support, please reach out:
- Emergency Services: 999
- Childline: 0800 1111
- Crisis Text Line: text SHOUT to 85258
- Your local authority's out-of-hours team
Creative Programmes
Hands-on creative programmes that build skills, confidence and a voice for young people with kinship care experience.
Our first Creative Fellowship is underway. Want to hear about the next one?
Register interestCreative Fellowship 2026: Bridge the Gap
Our first fellowship brings together kinship-care-experienced young people aged 18 to 29. Fellows are building creative and life skills, growing their professional networks and speaking up for their rights.
Together they are co-creating the Kinship Ties White Paper, a research output shaped by lived experience, and helping deliver a policy roundtable in December.
When
August to December 2026
Where
London
Theme
Bridge the Gap
The Kinship Ties White Paper
A research publication written with fellows, based on their own experiences of kinship care.
Policy roundtable
Fellows present their work to decision makers in December 2026.
Future programmes
We're planning more creative programmes. Register your interest to hear first.
Want to take part?
Register interest for future programmes, or partner with us to fund or host one.
Our Mission
Young people with kinship care experience deserve the same chances as anyone else to create, to be heard and to build their future.
To improve opportunities for young people with kinship care experience across the UK, by bringing together creative practice, lived experience and research, and turning young people's insight into real change.
Creative programmes in DJing, music production, design and event production that build skills, confidence and routes into the creative industries.
Youth-led, lived-experience research, focus groups and co-production, so young people's experiences reach the people who make decisions about their lives.
Clear, reliable information on rights, housing, education, employment and mental health, for young people wherever they live in the UK.
Working with local authorities, charities, universities and businesses to strengthen youth participation and improve support.
Our Values
- Lived experience: we start from what young people have actually been through.
- Youth-led: young people shape what we do and how we do it.
- Creativity: creative work is a real route to skills, confidence and opportunity.
- Fairness: where you live should not decide the support you get.
- Safety: protecting young people in everything we do.
What We're Working Towards
Short-term Goals (0 to 12 months)
- Deliver our first Creative Fellowship and publish the Kinship Ties White Paper
- Deliver creative programmes in music, DJing, design and events
- Carry out youth-led research and consultation with young people in kinship care
- Build partnerships with local authorities and support organisations
Medium-term Goals (1 to 3 years)
- Bring our creative programmes to more parts of the UK
- Publish lived-experience research and share it with decision makers
- Offer training to organisations on youth participation and kinship care
- Create paid opportunities in the creative industries for young people
Long-term Vision (3+ years)
- Become a leading national voice for young people with kinship care experience
- Use youth-led research to influence policy across the UK
- Grow into a sustainable social enterprise funded through commissioned work and partnerships
Why This Matters
Young people in kinship care face a postcode lottery. Depending on where they live, the support, information and opportunities available to them can be very different.
Too often, decisions about their lives are made without hearing from them, and they miss out on the creative and career opportunities other young people take for granted.
Kinship Ties exists to change this, by giving young people the skills, platform and support to build their future, and by making sure their experiences shape the systems around them.
Safeguarding Policy
Safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of children and adults.
Our Commitment to Your Safety
Kinship Ties CIC is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare and wellbeing of all children, young people, and adults who engage with our work. Safeguarding is central to everything we do.
Purpose & Scope
We primarily support kinship carers, families under Special Guardianship Orders (SGOs), and care-experienced people. This policy applies to all directors, trustees, staff, freelancers, contractors, volunteers, and anyone working on behalf of Kinship Ties CIC.
Kinship Ties CIC believes everyone has the right to feel safe and supported. We recognise our legal and moral duty to prevent harm and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns. Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.
Key Principles
- 1The welfare of children and adults at risk is paramount
- 2Everyone has the right to protection regardless of background or identity
- 3Safeguarding must be trauma-informed and person-centred
- 4Partnership working is essential to safeguarding
Safeguarding Roles
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
Responsible for receiving concerns, deciding next steps, making referrals, and keeping secure records.
Trustee Safeguarding Lead (TSL)
Responsible for oversight, governance, and annual review of safeguarding arrangements.
What We Do
- Create safe, respectful, and inclusive environments
- Provide safeguarding training and guidance
- Use safer recruitment and DBS checks where appropriate
- Record and respond to concerns promptly and securely
All partners, freelancers, and contractors must adhere to this safeguarding policy. Safeguarding expectations will be clearly communicated, and concerns must be reported immediately.
Reporting Safeguarding Concerns
Immediate Danger
If you're in immediate danger, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E department. Your safety comes first.
Safeguarding concerns may include abuse, neglect, exploitation, or harm. Anyone with a concern must report it to the Designated Safeguarding Lead as soon as possible.
Kinship Ties CIC does not investigate abuse; we listen, record, and refer.
Report a safeguarding concern:
info@kinshipties.comTypes of Abuse and Harm
It's important to recognise different types of abuse so you can identify when you or someone else needs help. Abuse can include:
- Physical abuse: hitting, shaking, throwing, burning, or otherwise causing physical harm
- Emotional abuse: persistent emotional maltreatment causing severe adverse effects on emotional development
- Sexual abuse: forcing or enticing a young person to take part in sexual activities
- Neglect: persistent failure to meet basic physical and/or psychological needs
- Financial abuse: controlling or exploiting someone's finances without consent
Key Emergency Contacts
Immediate Danger
Emergency: 999
Police (non-emergency): 101
Support Services
Childline: 0800 1111
NSPCC: 0808 800 5000
Mental Health Crisis
Samaritans: 116 123
Crisis Text: SHOUT to 85258
Specific Support
The Mix: 0808 808 4994
Papyrus: 0800 068 4141
Legal Framework
This policy is informed by UK legislation and guidance including:
- Children Acts 1989 and 2004
- The Care Act 2014
- Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023)
This policy is reviewed annually and updated as required.
Work with Kinship Ties
Kinship Ties brings together creative practice, lived experience and research to improve opportunities for young people with kinship care experience.
We work with young people to explore their creativity, develop practical skills and make their voices heard in conversations that affect their lives.
Our work includes:
- Creative programmes: DJing, music production, design, event production and creative industry opportunities.
- Research and consultation: youth-led insight, lived-experience research, focus groups and co-production.
- Training and partnerships: working with organisations to strengthen youth participation and better understand the experiences of young people in kinship care.
Partner with us
We welcome conversations with local authorities, charities, universities, researchers, funders and businesses interested in commissioning research, supporting creative programmes or developing projects with young people.
Our approach centres young people's experiences, creativity and ambitions, turning insight into practical opportunities and meaningful change.
Interested in working with us? Get in touch to discuss a project or partnership.
Privacy Policy
How Kinship Ties CIC collects, uses, and protects your personal information.
Kinship Ties CIC (company number 16952752) is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains what personal data we collect, why, how we use it, and what rights you have over it. It applies to anyone who uses this website, applies to the Creative Fellowship, or contacts us directly.
We are a UK-based Community Interest Company and handle personal data in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
What We Collect
- Fellowship applications: name, contact details, and any information you submit through our application form (hosted on Google Forms).
- Email correspondence: your email address and the contents of any message you send us, including via the contact links on this site.
We do not use cookies, analytics, or tracking technologies on this website, and we do not collect any data automatically as you browse.
Why We Collect It
We use your information to:
- Process and respond to Creative Fellowship applications
- Respond to enquiries, feedback, and requests for support
- Coordinate volunteering, partnership, or donation-related contact
- Meet our legal and safeguarding obligations where relevant
Our Legal Basis
We process your data on the basis of consent (when you voluntarily submit an application or send us a message) and, where relevant, legitimate interest in running our programmes and responding to enquiries. Where safeguarding concerns arise, we may process data under our legal obligation to protect children and adults at risk. See our Safeguarding Policy.
Who We Share It With
We do not sell or rent your personal data. We may share limited data with:
- Google: Fellowship applications are collected and stored via Google Forms, subject to Google's own privacy terms.
- Statutory agencies: only where required by law, or where there is a genuine safeguarding concern about risk of harm.
We do not share your information with local authorities or social services as a matter of routine, and never without a lawful reason to do so.
How Long We Keep It
We keep personal data only as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected, typically for the duration of the Fellowship cohort and a reasonable period afterwards for reporting and safeguarding purposes, or until you ask us to delete it, whichever is appropriate.
Your Rights
Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you
- Ask us to correct inaccurate data
- Ask us to delete your data
- Withdraw consent at any time
- Complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe your data has been mishandled
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@kinshipties.com. You can also raise a concern with the ICO at ico.org.uk.
Questions About This Policy
If you have any questions about how we handle your data, contact us at info@kinshipties.com. This policy was last reviewed in July 2026 and will be updated as our work develops.