Kinship welcomes Education Committee children’s social care inquiry report

Kinship welcomes today’s Education Committee report on children’s social care which calls on the government to do more to support kinship families. 

The report’s findings reflect Kinship’s own evidence that more children can benefit from the transformative impact of well-supported kinship care.  

It concludes that the Department for Education’s focus on kinship care must be underpinned by improved financial support and paid employment leave for kinship carers.

Kinship co-director of Policy and Communications Rhiannon Clapperton said:

“We hear every day how kinship carers are struggling to provide safe and loving homes for the child they love without the support they need. 

“We urge the government to take on board the Education Committee’s recommendations and urgently deliver financial, practical and emotional support for all kinship families.  

“We’re delighted the Committee’s recommendations echo our #ValueOurLove campaign calls for the government to deliver equalised financial support between kinship carers and foster carers, to introduce a new right to paid employment leave for kinship carers, and to extend educational support to all kinship children regardless of their legal status or journey into kinship care.

“The campaigning efforts of kinship carers across the country have been recognised in this report and are reflected in the strong recommendations backed by MPs across all of the main parties. Every single email, meeting and campaign action has helped to deliver this cross-party call for the government to do more for kinship families.  

“We’re also grateful to the Committee for using our research extensively in the report to make its case, including from our sector-leading annual surveys of kinship carers, and for highlighting the contributions of our Chief Executive and Associate Director of Policy and Public Affairs who gave oral evidence to support the inquiry.”