Support for Kinship Carers

Sharing stories helps build emotional connections.

Woman and pre-school boy reading together

Sharing stories with your child is a great way to have a moment of closeness and connection. Find tips, videos and support for unlocking the magic of stories below and on Kinship Compass. It can help build bonds, underpin stability and create moments of joy.

This support has been developed with kinship carers and the charity Kinship as part of a new training service for the Department for Education’s Kinship Care Strategy. ​

It is for all kinship carers in England including informal kinship carers, special guardians and kinship foster carers. New resources and training will be added regularly and look out for the BookTrust stall at each of Kinship’s upcoming roadshows.​

A kinship carer is someone who steps in to raise a child when their parents can’t. They’re usually grandparents, aunts or uncles, brothers or sisters and sometimes friends.​

How do I get started?​

  • Remember there is no right or wrong way to share a story​

  • You can share stories anytime, anywhere​

  • You don't have to read a book cover to cover, you can just dip in and out

Kinship resources

The Great Big Book of Families

Book recommendations: Families

Explore our recommended books about families for kinship carers.

Download the pdf
Barbara Throws a Wobbler

Book recommendations: Feelings (younger children)

Explore our recommended books about feelings for kinship carers of younger children.

Download the pdf
Bumble and Snug and the Angry Pirates

Book recommendations: Books about feelings (older children)

Explore more of our recommended books about feelings for kinship carers of older children.

Download the pdf

Helpful links

A photo of a woman and a child reading Elmer's Weather together

Bookfinder

Be inspired and discover your child's next favourite book with the BookTrust Bookfinder.

Junior girl reading at home illustration by Hannah Shaw

BookTrust HomeTime

Looking for something fun as a family? Enjoy story time with our free online books, play games, win prizes, or test your knowledge in our book-themed quizzes.

Kids reading together before bed

Reading together

Sharing stories with your child is a great way to help them learn about the world around them. Explore the videos below to find out more, and for ideas on how to get started.

Win a personalised book featuring your own family!

Thanks to Wonderbly, we are offering this unique prize.

We have teamed up with the publisher Wonderbly to give you the chance to win a personalised book with your family in it! In this search-and-find book, the children are on an epic adventure to rescue the adults. You can personalise the family, adding up to three children and two adults, and can customise their skin tone, hairstyle and hair colour. These books are perfect for little ones aged 4-10. The competition is exclusively for Kinship carers.

We are delighted to be giving away one Wonderbly personalised book for two lucky winners who fill in the form below by 11pm, Monday 31st March 2025. Good Luck!

Cyfle i ennill set o 3 llyfr gan Atebol

Telerau ac amodau

  1. Rhaid i gystadleuwyr fod yn 18 oed o leiaf i gystadlu.
  2. I gystadlu, rhaid i chi fod yn breswylydd yn Lloegr, yr Alban, Cymru neu Ogledd Iwerddon.
  3. Nid yw'r gystadleuaeth yn agored i gyflogeion BookTrust (na'u teulu agos)
  4. Dim ond un ymgais i bob person.
  5. Rhaid cyflwyno pob cais erbyn 11pm ddydd Iau 23 Chwefror 2023.
  6. Dewisir un enillydd ar hap (o blith pob cystadleuydd cymwys).
  7. Os na fydd enillydd a ddewiswyd yn ymateb i ohebiaeth o fewn wythnos, detholir enillydd newydd.
  8. Bydd ein penderfyniad yn derfynol, ac ni fyddwn yn llythyru ar y pwnc hwn.
  9. Nid oes modd trosglwyddo'r wobr i rywun arall.
  10. Nid ellir cyfnewid unrhyw ran o'r wobr am arian parod nac unrhyw wobr arall.
  11. Cynhelir y wobr gan BookTrust, No. 1 Aire Street, Leeds, LS1 4PR. Serch hynny, bydd y wobr yn cael ei hanfon gan drydydd parti, a thrwy gystadlu byddwch chi'n cydnabod fod eich manylion yn mynd i gael eu trosglwyddo iddyn nhw, i bwrpas gweinyddu'r gystadleuaeth hon yn unig.
  12. Anfonir gwobrau i'r enillwyd drwy'r post. Ond ni all BookTrust fod yn gyfrifol am unrhyw wobrau sy'n mynd ar goll, yn cael eu niweidio na'u dwyn ar ôl iddyn nhw gael eu hanfon.
  13. Pan fydd trydydd parti'n cyflenwi gwobr, nid yw BookTrust yn derbyn dim cyfrifoldeb dros anghywirdeb unrhyw ddisgrifiad o'r wobr, a'r trydydd parti sy'n gyfrifol am gyflawni'r wobr.
  14. Drwy gystadlu rydych chi'n cytuno â'r telerau a'r amodau yn ein datganiad preifatrwydd.
  15. Mae BookTrust yn cadw'r hawl i newid dyddiad cau'r gystadleuaeth ar unrhyw adeg.