Kinship launches its kinship care election manifesto and interactive constituency map

Kinship has launched its #ValueOurLove campaign manifesto ahead of the General Election, alongside an interactive constituency map to help MP candidates and voters understand the picture of kinship care in their local area.

In its manifesto, Kinship is calling on the next Government to go further than the existing National Kinship Care Strategy and ensure kinship families aren’t forced to wait any longer for the vital financial, practical and emotional support that they need and deserve.

The manifesto calls on all electoral candidates to commit to equalising support between kinship families and foster and adoptive families in four ways:

• • Equal financial allowances

• • Equal paid leave from work

• • Equal therapeutic and educational support for children

• • Equal access to training and support

Kinship’s Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Sam Turner said: “Our Value Our Love campaign manifesto outlines a plan for how the next Government can maintain the momentum, deliver crucial support, and build a new kinship care system.

“Through the efforts of thousands of kinship carer campaigners across the country there’s greater recognition of kinship care than ever before. However, many kinship families remain at breaking point and the need for greater support is urgent.

“The next Government must build a kinship care system that’s fit for the future. Comprehensive new legislation is needed which recognises the unique challenges and strengths of kinship families. Bespoke policy solutions need to be designed. It is not enough to simply extend the existing support that has been designed with foster or adoptive families in mind.”

Read Kinship’s #ValueOurLove campaign manifesto in full here

There are more than 141,000 children in kinship care across England and Wales – more than double the number of children in foster care. Kinship’s new constituency map allows MP candidates and voters to see the estimated number of children in their constituency being raised in kinship care compared with children in local authority care and calculates the prevalence of children in kinship care in constituencies across England and Wales.

Sam Turner continued: “Too often, kinship families aren’t recognised or understood by politicians and the public. It’s vital that MP candidates who will go on to form the next Parliament understand the scale of kinship care in their areas and listen to kinship carers’ experiences and views on what needs to change.”

You can find out more about kinship care in your constituency here.