At Children’s Health Scotland, we know that kinship carers play a vital role in the lives of children and young people. They provide love, stability and care, often stepping into their caring role during challenging circumstances. Yet while so much focus is rightly placed on supporting the children they care for, carers themselves can often feel overlooked. That is why we were delighted to deliver our Finding the Right Boundaries workshop for kinship carers in partnership with Edinburgh Council.
The session provided carers with the opportunity to reflect on their own wellbeing, explore what healthy boundaries look like in practice, and gain practical tools to help balance caring responsibilities with self-care. Through discussion, shared experiences and learning together, carers were encouraged to recognise that looking after themselves is not selfish. It is an essential part of sustaining their own wellbeing and continuing to support the children and young people they care for.
Throughout the workshop, carers spoke openly about the realities of kinship care and the challenges they face on a daily basis. It reinforced something we hear time and time again through our work with families across Scotland: carers value opportunities to come together, share experiences and access support that acknowledges their unique role.
For many carers, training like this is about much more than gaining new knowledge. It is about feeling recognised. It is about knowing that their experiences matter. It is about having space to reflect, connect with others and leave feeling more confident and supported.
These are the moments that matter.
A meaningful conversation. A practical piece of advice. A chance to realise you are not alone. A moment where you feel listened to, understood and valued.
While these moments may seem small, they can make a significant difference. They help build confidence, reduce isolation and strengthen wellbeing. Most importantly, they remind carers that they deserve support too.
Helen Bauld, Training and Programmes Manager at Children’s Health Scotland, said:
Training like this is incredibly important because carers tell us time and time again how much it is needed. Kinship carers do an extraordinary job supporting children and young people, often while navigating complex challenges of their own. Taking time to invest in carers through workshops like this helps them feel seen, heard and valued. It creates the moments that matter; moments when someone feels understood, gains confidence, connects with others who share similar experiences, and recognises that their own wellbeing matters too. When we support carers to set healthy boundaries and look after themselves, we are also supporting the children and young people who rely on them every day.
At Children’s Health Scotland, our Moments That Matter campaign celebrates the power of meaningful support and human connection. We know that positive change often starts with a single moment: a conversation that offers reassurance, an opportunity to learn something new, or a space where someone feels genuinely seen and valued.
Today’s workshop was full of those moments.
By creating opportunities for carers to learn, reflect and connect with others, we are helping to ensure that kinship carers feel supported in their role and empowered to prioritise their own wellbeing alongside the wellbeing of the children and young people they care for.
We would like to thank everyone who joined us today and Edinburgh Council for supporting this important opportunity. Together, we can continue creating moments that matter for kinship carers and the families they support every day.
Interested in supporting kinship carers in your area?
Children’s Health Scotland delivers a range of programmes, workshops and support opportunities for kinship carers, parents, carers, children and young people living with health conditions. Through practical learning, peer support and wellbeing-focused activities, we help create moments that leave people feeling more confident, connected and valued.
If you are a kinship carer, local authority, Health and Social Care Partnership, or organisation interested in finding out more about the support we offer, please contact Niki at CECYPS@childrenshealthscotland.org. We would love to explore how we can work together to support carers and families in your community.
