Kinship carers need greater support from local authorities
Local authorities must do more to support kinship carers in their areas, a charity has warned.
Publishing its annual survey of kinship carers, Grandparents Plus said that providing better support for kinship carers is especially urgent given the impact Covid-19 is having on kinship families.
“Grandparents Plus annual survey of kinship carers shows that kinship carers have [...]
Kinship care should always be considered as first option, says taskforce
No child should have to live outside of their family if there is a safe and loving home available within their family and friends’ network, a parliamentary inquiry into kinship care states.
There are more than 180,000 children across the UK living with kinship carers - relatives or friends who raise children who cannot safely remain [...]
100,000 grandparents looking after children despite COVID-19 guidance
There are 100,000 grandparents looking after their grandchildren during the outbreak of COVID-19 – despite government guidance stating that over 70-year-olds and those with underlying health conditions should be in self-isolation.
The 100,000 grandparents make up an army of 200,000 kinship carers of grandparents, relatives and friends of children who cannot live with their parents for [...]
Charity launches General Election campaign to raise awareness about kinship care
The Family Rights Group has launched a campaign urging people to raise awareness of kinship care ahead of the General Election.
The FRG highlights that around 200,000 children in the UK are being raised by kinship carers including grandparents, older siblings, other relatives or friends, and largely due to tragedy or trauma.
These children are [...]
Guidance on family and friends care assessments launched by FRG
The Family Rights Group has launched guidance to help social workers to carry out initial family and friends care assessments.
There is currently no guidance or minimum standards covering these assessments also known as viability assessments which has led to inconsistency in the way practitioners carry them out.
“The guide aims to provide social workers with a [...]
Court ruling ‘confusion’ triggers first fall in adoptions for five years
Adoption campaigners say drop reflects impact of Re B and Re B-S rulings on practice and decision-making
The number of children adopted in England has dropped for the first time in five years, with experts attributing the fall to “confusion” surrounding two landmark court rulings.
Government figures published today revealed 4,690 looked-after children were adopted in [...]
