Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) levels of recognition of kinship care and (b) the lack of a kinship carers identity card on kinship carers when they interact with (i) schools, (ii) hospitals and (iii) children’s services.

In October 2024, the department published the kinship care statutory guidance for local authorities, which outlines the framework for the provision of support for kinship children and kinship families.

Measures included in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill also seek to mandate local authorities to publish a kinship local offer, which sets out the information and support in a local authority's area for children living in kinship care and kinship carers, and defines what kinship care is for the purpose of the kinship care local offer. These measures will make it clear for local authorities, schools and other statutory services what support is available to those involved in a kinship arrangement.

The department recognises that some families have reported challenges around the recognition of kinship care in their interactions with schools, hospitals, and children's services. We have not carried out a formal assessment of the feasibility or potential merits of implementing a national kinship identification card, but will continue to monitor and review the needs of kinship carers and children living in kinship care and discuss the issues raised with other governmental departments and with local authorities to ensure they receive the support they deserve.