Information

Scottish Parliament election: 7 May. This site won't be routinely updated during the pre-election period.

Kinship Care Statistics

Statistics on children in kinship care using data from Scotland's Census 2022.


Disability and unpaid caring

Table 6 shows whether children in kinship care have a long-term health condition or disability that limits their day-to-day activity and has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months. The proportion of children in kinship care with a health condition or disability that limits them either a little or a lot is 15%, significantly higher than 8% of children in other households. This is true across all age groups. The largest difference between the two groups is seen in children aged 10 to 14 years old, where 17% of those in kinship care have a disability compared with 11% of those in other households.

Table 6 Disability Status of Children In Kinship Care and Other Households

Children in kinship care and other households by disability status.

Disability

Yes, limited a lot or a little (number)

No (number)

Total

Yes, limited a lot or a little (percentage)

No (percentage)

Kinship care child - Aged 0 to 4

120

1,700

1,820

6.6

93.4

Kinship care child - Aged 5 to 9

380

2,480

2,860

13.3

86.7

Kinship care child - Aged 10 to 14

760

3,670

4,420

17.2

83.0

Kinship care child - Aged 15

190

940

1,130

16.8

83.2

Kinship care child - Aged 16 to 17

460

2,110

2,560

18.0

82.4

Kinship care child - Total

1,910

10,890

12,800

-

-

Kinship care child -Percentage

14.9

85.1

100.0

-

-

All others in households - Aged 0 to 4

8,910

237,600

246,510

3.6

96.4

All others in households - Aged 5 to 9

21,410

257,820

279,230

7.7

92.3

All others in households - Aged 10 to 14

32,230

263,900

296,130

10.9

89.1

All others in households - Aged 15

7,180

49,760

56,950

12.6

87.4

All others in households - Aged 16 to 17

13,980

94,200

108,170

12.9

87.1

All others in households - Total

83,700

903,280

986,980

-

-

All others in households -  Percentage

8.5

91.5

100.0

-

-

Table 7 shows whether children aged three or over are acting as an unpaid carer. Children in kinship care were more likely to be unpaid carers than those in other households. 3.6% of children in kinship care were recorded as unpaid carers, with 1.2% providing at least 20 hours per week. In other households, 2.4% were recorded as unpaid carers, with 0.7% providing at least 20 hours per week.

Table 7 Unpaid Carer Status of Children In Kinship Care and Other Households

Children in kinship care and other households by unpaid carer status.

Kinship care indicator

Unpaid carer status

No unpaid care

Provides 1 to 19 hours unpaid care a week

Provides 20 to 34 hours unpaid care a week

Provides 35 or more hours unpaid care a week

Total

Kinship care child

Total

11,410

290

60

80

11,850

Kinship care child

Percentage

96.3

2.4

0.5

0.7

100.0

All others in households

Total

822,520

14,940

2,460

3,090

843,010

All others in households

Percentage

97.6

1.8

0.3

0.4

100.0

Back to top