A specialist advice service for kinship carers has provided a "£1 million financial lifeline" over the last five years, a report has revealed.
Citizens Advice Scotland has been funded by the Scottish Government to provide help and support to those looking after the child of a friend or family member.
Almost 3000 carers contacted the Kinship Care Service for advice between September 2008 and September 2013, the report revealed, stating a "significant proportion of Scottish kinship carers" had been helped.
Advice on issues such as benefits and debt saw kinship carers receive £988,776 over the period.
The report, from Citizens Advice Scotland, described the service as a "£1 million financial lifeline" and stated: "We have helped kinship carers to maximise their incomes through detailed benefits work to reduce their levels of financial hardship, stress and isolation."
More than three-quarters of those who contacted the service needed help with more than one issue, while 23 per cent had four reasons for requiring support.
In 2012 there were 4,067 youngsters in care who had been placed with family members in a formal kinship care arrangement. An estimated 13,000 children are thought to be staying with a family member or friend in an informal arrangement.
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