Family services

The Oxford Friends and Family Empowerment (OFAFE) service is a carer support service that originated in a collaboration between the Oxfordshire Complex Needs Service and the national mental health charity Rethink. OFAFE provides support and education for adults supporting an individual with a personality disorder. This paper describes the background and operation of the OFAFE service, along with the early stages of the development of a similar service for young carers, the Young Friends and Family Empowerment (YFAFE) service.

This article looks at results of a government-commissioned study in Great Britain concerning kin carers. It found that despite suffering more financial hardship, many kin carers are paid less than unrelated foster carers. They are more likely to receive little or no social work support, have no family placement worker and no access to training. It warns that special guardianship orders could similarly be used by local authorities to restrict services for kin carers.

The author reflects on her work at a child and youth care worker program in Algonquin, Ontario. She relates the stories of families that arrive at the shelter, as well as the sacrifices of young carers in these families. According to the author, her work at the shelter provided an opportunity to observe family functioning. She emphasizes that the goal of providing support and service to the family is to ease the responsibility or burden of the young caregiver.