Kinship Care Support and Helplines in Northern Ireland
Raising a relative's child in Northern Ireland often means dealing with court forms, benefit claims and Trust assessments simultaneously — and doing it without knowing who to call. The good news is that several free advice services exist specifically for kinship carers, though finding them all in one place takes some digging.
Kinship Care NI — the Dedicated Charity
Kinship Care NI is a dedicated charity for kinship families in Northern Ireland. Their Caring for Kin freephone helpline — 0800 022 3129 — is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Staff can help with benefit checks, school and medical consent queries, and navigating HSC Trust processes.
They have a head office in Derry/Londonderry and an office in Magherafelt, with community-based support sessions in Belfast:
- Derry/Londonderry head office: 67 Carlisle Road, BT48 6JL (028 7137 3731)
- Magherafelt (Mid-Ulster): 55 Rainey Street, BT45 5AF (028 7930 1566)
- Belfast: community-based support sessions
Kinship Care NI also runs peer support groups across the region, connecting carers who are dealing with the same court and benefits processes. If you are looking for someone who understands the practical reality of raising a grandchild or a niece in Northern Ireland, this is the first call to make.
Law Centre NI
Law Centre NI provides specialist legal advice on social security, immigration and housing. Their legal advice line — 028 9024 4401 (Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 1pm) — handles queries about Universal Credit entitlements, Residence Order Allowance disputes, and benefits tribunal appeals. They can advise on whether your HSC Trust has applied its financial assessment correctly, and they take complex cases to tribunal.
Email: [email protected]
Children's Law Centre and the ChALKY Line
The Children's Law Centre operates the ChALKY advice line at 0808 808 5678. ChALKY stands for Children's Legal Advice, Knowledge and Youth, and it covers children's rights, education issues, and care proceedings. If you are having difficulty enrolling a child in school without formal Parental Responsibility, or a school is refusing to accept your authority as a kinship carer, ChALKY can advise on the legal position under the Department of Education Circular 2023/02.
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Advice NI
Advice NI is a regional network of independent advice centres covering benefits, debt, housing and consumer issues. Their freephone number is 0800 915 4604, and they can carry out a full benefit entitlement check to make sure you are claiming everything available — Child Benefit, Universal Credit, and Guardian's Allowance where applicable.
Email: [email protected]
Make the Call
The Department for Communities runs the Make the Call service specifically to check whether you are missing out on benefits. Call 0800 232 1271 or text ADVICE to 079 8440 5248. This is a free, confidential service that checks your entitlement across all DfC-administered benefits.
A Note on the Family Rights Group
The Family Rights Group (FRG) is well-known across the UK, but it operates exclusively in England and Wales. If you call from Northern Ireland, they will redirect you to Kinship Care NI or Law Centre NI. It is not the right starting point for NI-specific queries about the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 or HSC Trust processes.
Pulling It Together
Our Kinship Care in Northern Ireland guide includes a complete contacts directory with every helpline, Trust gateway number and advice service relevant to NI kinship carers — printed in one place so you have it when you need it, not scattered across twenty websites.
Get Your Free Northern Ireland Kinship Care Checklist
Download the Northern Ireland Kinship Care Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.