Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether their Department offers (a) paid time off work and (b) other support to employees who become kinship carers.

The government defines kinship care as "any situation in which a child is being raised in the care of a friend or family member who is not their parent". The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) offers support to employees who become kinship carers, similar to the support provided to foster carers. The entitlements include:

• Additional leave during the approval process or when a child is in placement: employees can receive an additional 5 days of paid or unpaid leave in a 12-month period at the discretion of their line manager. This leave can be used for meetings, training, unforeseen emergencies related to their fostering role, or to accommodate an emergency placement.
• Additional leave at the start of a planned permanent placement: employees are entitled to additional discretionary special paid leave for up to 10 days in a 12-month period. If both parents are employed by the FCDO, one parent would receive up to 10 days, and the other up to 5 days.

These provisions ensure that employees who take on the important role of kinship carers have the necessary support and flexibility to manage their responsibilities effectively. Staff also have a statutory right to take unpaid time off work to deal with an emergency involving a dependant.