Government publishes first kinship care strategy but charity warns plan falls “disappointingly short” on six tests
The Department for Education (DfE) last week (15 December) published its first ever national kinship care strategy for England, ‘Championing Kinship Care’.
Backed by £20m, it aims to ensure that kinship carers are better supported through financial provision, new training and information.
Kinship care is when relatives or friends step in to raise children who cannot remain at home. More than 130,000 children live in kinship care arrangements in England, and kinship carers make up over a fifth of all foster carers.
The strategy sets out a range of support for kinship carers, from new training and information so they have a better understanding of their rights, to “high-quality peer support within local communities”, said the DfE.
The Government confirmed it will provide an allowance to many kinship carers to match that received by foster carers - currently between £154 and £270 per week, per child. This is being trialled in up to eight areas of the country.
The strategy will also expand the role of virtual school heads – education champions within local authorities – to cover kinship care.
Family Rights Group, a specialist child welfare charity, shared concern that the new strategy had fallen victim to “timid ambitions”.
It said: “Family Rights Group worked with families to set six tests for the strategy, for it to deliver meaningful change to families across the country. It falls disappointingly short on them all.”
The six tests consisted of: Defining kinship care, Advice, Employment leave, Financial support, Education and Therapy.
On ‘Defining Kinship care’, the charity said: “Family Rights Group has led the campaign for a clear, inclusive definition of kinship care written into law. We welcome the Government’s commitment to develop that definition and we have worked with them to do so. However, failing to commit to putting this in primary legislation will significantly curtail its potential impact.”
Family Rights Group claimed that the strategy makes “no further progress” on independent specialist advice.
On employment leave, the charity shared its hope that the new guide for employers will be “widely adopted”. It said: “Without a nationwide right to paid employment leave, akin to adoption leave, there will be another lottery in support”.
It described the current system of financial support as “not fit for purpose”. However, it said: “The small-scale pilot could open the door sometime in the distant future to a national allowance”.
The charity noted that expanding the Virtual School Head role may help some children who are struggling with a lack of support in school.
Finally, on therapy, Family Rights Group said: “Rebranding the Adoption Support Fund will remove a barrier to eligible special guardians accessing therapeutic services for the children. But this is purely a cosmetic change that fails to expand eligibility to all children who need it.”
The Government revealed it has started recruiting young people with experience of care, including those with disabilities and special educational needs, to a new youth advisory board to advise on the ongoing reforms.
Children and Families Minister, David Johnston, said: “Kinship carers do incredible work to support and nurture children who might otherwise go into care and I am very proud that the Government has published the first ever strategy for kinship care today.
“[…] Kinship carers are often hidden in plain sight and today’s strategy paves the way for them to be given the practical and financial support they deserve for the pivotal role they play in children’s lives.
“We are committed to reforming the whole children’s social care system to support families – right from the point they face challenges and need support, all the way to transforming the experience children have when in care.”
Lottie Winson
