Statement from our Chief Executive, Dr. Lucy Peake on ‘the Case for Change’ report
17 June 2021
Kinship welcomes the recommendations on kinship care in the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care’s report ‘The Case for Change’. The report is a step forward in kinship carers getting the recognition they deserve and shows a clear commitment to improving support.
Dr Lucy Peake, Chief Executive at Kinship said:
“Today’s report will offer hope to the many thousands of kinship carers across England that their value – and their struggle – is finally being recognised. The voices of the 150 kinship carers who generously contributed to the review ring out. Their common experience of huge sacrifices made at short notice for the children they love, with little support, comes through strongly.
“The report lays bare what many of us already know, that an aging, dysfunctional, underfunded system is failing too many of the children and families it is responsible for. But we are encouraged that a light has been shone on kinship care, and its latent potential to provide more children with safe, loving homes. It recognises that growing up with a strong loving group of people around them is a basic right for children. We know that evidence has long shown that well-supported kinship care offers that love and stability.
“It is time for kinship care to stop being marginalised by policy makers and treated as the poor relation to adoption.
“Those caring for the most vulnerable children in our society, whether foster carers, adopters or family and friends, deserve the same levels of support. They all need access to financial, practical, therapeutic and other help.
“Not only does it make sense to support kinship carers for the sake of the children they are caring for, but it makes sense for the public purse. We estimate that for every 1,000 children moved from local authority care to well-supported kinship care, £40 million pounds is saved.
“We welcome the continued engagement with kinship carers at the next stage of the review.”
Read The Case for Change report. Specific findings and recommendations on kinship care are from page 48.
"Kinship carers are a huge national resource, a natural source of support for children and the contribution they make should be much better recognised."
The case for change report (2020). The independent review of children's social care
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