Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Kinship Out of the shadows: A vision for kinship care in England, published on 24 March; and what steps they are taking to ensure kinship carers can access (1) information, (2) advice, and (3) support.

The March 2022 ‘Out of the Shadows: A vision for kinship care in England’ report offers an insightful analysis of the challenges kinship carers face.

Statutory guidance issued under the Children Act 1989 places legal duties on local authorities to provide support to kinship carers. The guidance sets out a framework for the provision of support to family and friends’ carers, whatever the legal status of the children they are caring for.

All local authorities in England are required to have a published family and friends’ policy. It should be designed to ensure children receive the support they and their carers need to keep them safe and well. Local family and friends’ policies should also support the promotion of good information about the full range of services for children, young people, and families in the area. It should highlight the availability of advice from independent organisations.

In 2021, the department provided £1 million funding for one year to the charity Kinship to deliver more high-quality peer support groups for kinship carers across the country. Through this work, the department will offer more support, more access to expert advice and information, and more opportunities for kinship carers to connect with each other.

The department also continues to fund the Family Rights Group’s family and friends helpline to provide free information and advice to kinship carers in need of legal and practical support.

The independent review of children’s social care led by Josh MacAlister has had a key focus on kinship care. The government looks forward to considering any recommendations it makes when the report publishes in the spring.