Grandparent Plus welcomes the announcement of Josh MacAlister as Chair of the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care and the inclusion of all forms of kinship care in a review that is described as “a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reform systems and services”.
Lucy Peake, chief executive at Grandparents Plus said
“Kinship carers play a vital role in caring for children who would otherwise grow up in the care system, yet kinship care has been marginalised for too long, receiving too little recognition, policy attention and funding. The current children’s social care system is riven with inequality, with too many children in kinship care and their carers locked out of systems that should be supporting them.
“We welcome the ambition to transform the children’s social care system so it better meets the needs of all children who are referred to it. The evidence shows that outcomes are better for children who grow up in kinship care than in the care system. It is a positive option for children whose parents are unable to care for them and we should be investing in it. We look forward to contributing to the review to ensure that kinship care is better understood, valued and supported in future.
“We warmly welcome the commitment to listening to people with experience of the children’s social care system to shape the review and its recommendations, and we encourage kinship carers and those with experience of growing up in kinship care to get involved.”
If you’re a kinship carer, or you grew up in kinship care, you can apply to join the Experts by Experience group which will shape, advise and inform how the review engages with children and families who have had social workers. The group will meet virtually, approximately once every two months. To apply, complete the Expression of Interest and submit by 5pm on Friday 5 February.
If you are involved in kinship care in any way, there is an open Call for Advice. Please share your ideas about what the review should include, what information they should consider, and who they should involve.
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Featured image from Frontline
