Kinship responds to Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

The new Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill has been published, introducing a wide variety of measures to help children and families, from school reform to improve educational opportunities, to measures to ensure better protections for vulnerable children. Read our response below.

CEO of Kinship, Lucy Peake said: 

“The government’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, introduced in Parliament today, is further recognition of the vital role that kinship carers are playing in the lives of more than 141,000 children across England and Wales. However, it falls short of delivering the vital educational and mental health support which children in kinship care urgently need.

“The government has said that the Bill focuses on making sure no child falls through gaps between different services and that families can get help when they need it, but it doesn’t sufficiently address the huge disparity in access to educational and therapeutic support between children in kinship care and those in local authority care.

“Our recent Forgotten report revealed how an uneven and inadequate landscape of support is preventing children in kinship care getting the help they need with their education and mental health. Almost a third of children in kinship care (31%) have diagnosed or suspected social, emotional or mental health needs, and too many are missing out on support to help them heal from experiences of trauma, separation and loss. We will push for amendments to the Bill which recognise the unique needs and experiences of kinship children and look to introduce additional support to give them the best chance of success at school and beyond.

“This new legislation will bring forward some positive changes for kinship families. Following new statutory guidance published in October, we are pleased to see the Bill strengthen the requirement for local authorities to publish up-to-date and accessible information about the services they offer to kinship families in their area through a ‘kinship local offer’.

“This is vital as our recent annual survey shows that nearly half of kinship carers (47%) rate the information provided by their local authority about kinship care as poor or very poor. Kinship’s #ValueOurLove campaign has led the way in campaigning for improved information and support for kinship carers, and this new legal duty will help to ensure more families are signposted to crucial support, including our own advice service, events and free workshops.

“It is also welcome that the Bill will put the recent extension of virtual school head support for children in kinship care on a statutory footing, and introduce a requirement for all local authorities to deliver family group decision making for children at risk of entering care.

“However, the government must also urgently take further steps to ensure that all kinship families, regardless of the type of kinship arrangement, have access to the financial, practical and emotional support they need and deserve. It’s vital we invest in well-supported kinship care, including arrangements outside the care system, before encouraging more family and friends to step into kinship caring roles. We hope to see future legislation and the forthcoming multi-year spending review further prioritise kinship care reform.”