A CHARITY project is appealing for volunteers to help support a growing number of kinship carers in Darlington as adult care services face budget cuts.
The Relative Experience Project aims to help families who look after their relatives’ children and has been running in Darlington for a year.
Recently they have seen a large increase in carers coming to them and they expect this number to steadily rise as support services are cut from Darlington Borough Council’s budget.
Mark Hollander, volunteer development worker at Family Lives in Darlington, said: “These people are often in very tricky situation.
“Becoming a carer can be a very sudden move, often involving family breakdown.
“It can be emotionally draining.
“There might be legal affairs not sorted or they might not have got the correct finances in place.
“It’s not anyone’s fault, but no-one has gone through it with them.”
Mr Hollander said that if the proposed cuts to council social services were to happen then his charity would hope to step in to help.
The scheme is run by Grandparents Plus, Family Lives and the Family and Childcare Trust and volunteers can get in touch by calling 07711-556811 or email markdh@familylives.org.uk
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