Kinship Carers

I pay tribute to kinship carers in Bootle and elsewhere for the vital role they play in offering care to children when they most need it. I recognise the immense value of care they provide, the enormous personal sacrifices they make, and the extra costs involved.

Kinship care delivers better outcomes for children and their families and saves the Government millions of pounds each year. Yet, unlike foster parents, kinship carers often receive no additional support from the state.

In a 2019 survey, the Family Rights Group found that more than half of kinship carers had to give up work to undertake their role, many received no financial help with legal costs or allowances, and more than three-quarters experienced financial hardship.

I have serious concerns this is creating perverse incentives and hardship for families who want to do the right thing. I agree there is an urgent need for Ministers to look comprehensively at existing support for kinship carers to help more families care for a child they love.

The Kinship Care Bill is a Private Member’s Bill and while only a minority of such Bills become law, they provide an opportunity for parliamentarians to debate important issues.

The Government has said that previously looked-after children who live in a formal kinship care arrangement are entitled to Pupil Premium Plus and that it has set clear duties on local authorities to support children living with family or friend carers.

However, councils have worked tirelessly to protect their spending on children’s social care despite central grant cuts, and successive reports from the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee suggest Ministers have not taken sufficient action.

I believe we need a long-term plan where the children’s care sector is not just better resourced but also better organised. I therefore welcome the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care and its focus on restoring early help to families, supporting kinship carers, and ensuring children can build lifelong links with extended family members.

The Government has committed to publishing an implementation plan by the end of 2022. I hope Ministers will take this opportunity to reset children’s social care and look again at what more can be done to support kinship carers.