Education Secretary attends Kinship’s Parliamentary reception

“I’ll fight every day for children in kinship care and kinship carers. I’ll be a voice for you. You will not be forgotten by this Government… I know how long you’ve been waiting, and I know it’s frustrating. You are valued critical friends to this Government. I want you to push us.”

These are the words of the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson MP, who was speaking at our #ValueOurLove campaign reception in the Houses of Parliament on 16 October 2024.

The Secretary of State spoke in front of a packed room of over 170 people. We were pleased to welcome 57 MPs, Members of the House of Lords and other important guests.

MPs met with kinship carers and young adults raised in kinship care who spoke passionately about what needs to be done to improve support for kinship families. There was a positive energy in the room – with many MPs keen to find out how they could help the campaign having already heard from their constituents about the campaign.

Sarah, a kinship carer, gave a heart-wrenching speech on the struggles her family have gone through on their kinship care journey:

“When Billy first came into our care, we were thrown into a system that felt unprepared, unclear, and at times extremely hostile. I barely saw him before we were told to take him from his foster carers with just 48 hours’ notice – no support, no guidance on how this would affect him emotionally. And what about us? We were left scrambling to find a bed, clothes, a car seat. Financial support we’d been promised disappeared into thin air.”

Poppy, whose open letter to Bridget Phillipson amassed over 7000 signatures earlier this year, shared her story of growing up in kinship care and what a lack of support meant for her and her grandmother. Sarah and Poppy both challenged the Education Secretary and the new Labour Government to do more for kinship families.

It was 2 years ago that the #ValueOurLove campaign launched in Parliament. Since then we have amassed thousands of #ValueOurLove campaign supporters who together have taken over 34,000 campaign actions.

Over this time campaigners have come together to speak out about the support their kinship families need, and to date have managed to secure the first ever national Kinship Care Strategy and pushed the Department for Education to fund a training and support programme for kinship carers in England.

Most recently, following the General Election, we called on government to make a commitment to kinship families within their first 100 days in power. Because of our campaigning, the new government has now updated the kinship care guidance for local authorities and announced a first ever Kinship Care Ambassador who will advocate for kinship families within government and help local authorities in England improve their services.

We’re encouraged by the Government’s commitment to listening to and understanding the challenges kinship families are facing. Alongside the Secretary of State for Education, the Children and Families Minister Janet Daby also attended our reception. which is the fourth time she has met with kinship carers supported by our charity since starting in her new role in July.

However, it is important that the Government urgently shares an ambitious and comprehensive vision for kinship care. Now is the time for the new government to accelerate support for kinship carers who have been struggling for years, and take forward steps to build a new kinship care system fit for the future. We remain optimistic that the new government recognises more support is desperately needed and together with kinship carers and their families we will keep campaigning to secure the change that is needed.