CHILDREN in care face a postcode lottery when it comes to being cared for within the family unit, according to a specialist adoption solicitor.

Just 15 per cent of children who cannot live with their parents and enter the care system were placed with people they knew or were related to compared to some councils in the North East which achieved 37 per cent.

Kinship carers include grandparents or family friends who are known to the child and prevent young people from being placed with strangers.

While the figure for Wiltshire is similar to the the national average of 17 per cent, solicitor Nigel Priestley of Ridley & Hall believes that councils should do more to prioritise keeping children with guardians that they know.

A Wiltshire Council spokesman said: "We all have a role to play in keeping our children safe and we know it is important we provide children in care with a stable home that meets their needs. When a child cannot live with their birth parents we will always consider whether it is possible for them to live within their wider family network.

"Our social workers always talk to family about who may be able to help, where appropriate we will assess family members as foster carers and provide them with ongoing support and advice.”

Mr Priestley said: “The question has to be asked - if other local authorities can get over 15 per cent more children placed with relatives, why can’t they match it? It means that almost four out of five children are with stranger carers. Ask the children which they would prefer?"

"In some local authorities, a third or more children are initially placed in care with someone they know. In others, it was only a handful.

"This could be because fewer relatives succeed in progressing beyond the viability assessment, or because they give up on the process along the way.

"Or perhaps because the concept isn’t promoted as actively in some regions as it is in others.

"It is clear from the figures that more needs to be done to ensure children who could safely be looked after by someone they know, are given every opportunity to do just that.”

There were 176 applications to become a kinship carer between April 2016 and March 2017, of which 56 progressed further.

To find out more about fostering within a family call 01225 716510 in office hours or 0300 456 0100 or visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk/fostering-contact-us