Employers and business leaders are working with the charity Kinship to co-design paid leave policies to better support kinship carers in the workplace.

The recommended policies will be published in February 2026 following a collaborative event organised by the charity and employers such as John Lewis, who are signed up to its Kinship Friendly Employer scheme.

Also involved are union and government representatives.

The event follows this summer’s announcement by the government that kinship carers will be within the scope of its parental leave and pay review.

Being considered at the event is how paid leave should work in practice for kinship carers, who are family and friends who raise children when parents are unable to do so.

Unlike adopters kinship carers do not qualify for statutory paid leave, forcing many to quit their jobs.

Kinship found that almost half of kinship carers leave their jobs to take on caring responsibilities. Four in five who stopped working have not been able to return to work and half said paid leave would have helped them resume their career.

"Employers understand there are times in everyone’s life when they will need more flexibility to balance work with changes to health, family and other commitments, and supporting kinship families should be no different,” said British Chambers of Commerce policy lead Hannah Larsen, who was among attendees.

“Striking the right balance between simplicity for business and a flexible approach to keeping skilled staff in the workplace makes economic sense."

Kinship carer and Kinship’s head of people and culture, Katie Prescott added: “My niece was just eight-months-old when she came to live with us. Our lives were turned upside down.

“Statutory paid leave from work would have helped take the stress and worry away from us because we would know we could afford the basics, and it would give us breathing space and time to settle our niece into her new life.

“All kinship carers should be entitled to statutory paid leave the same as any other working parent.”

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