A two-year programme, backed by £200 million of government funds, has been launched with the aim of transforming the children’s care system. Under the plans vulnerable children will be given more support to stay with their families, using early intervention as a way of avoiding crisis actions later on. The proposals follow three independent reviews into the current arrangements for children’s social care, which concluded that the system is broken and no longer meets the needs of children and families.
Under the “children’s social care implementation strategy” families caught in cycles of drug addiction, domestic abuse and mental health issues will be identified early. They will be offered practical help to enable them to stay together as a family unit and address their issues together. Initially the scheme will be implemented in 12 local authorities, before being rolled out across the country once any problems and improvements have been identified .
The aim is to put the family unit at the heart of the reforms, since it is recognised that children who grow up in a loving and stable home have better long-term chances of success. In situations where a child can no longer live with their parents, placing them in kinship care with a relative or close family friend will be the preferred next step. To help achieve this, placement procedures will be simplified and additional support offered to the wider family, including grandparents, aunts and uncles. Kinship carers will be given training and increased support under the proposals.
The foster care system will be boosted by an additional £25 million over the next two years, to be spent on a recruitment and retention drive. Foster carers will also be given above-inflation increases in their allowances to help cover the rising costs of caring for foster children in their homes. The recruitment programme will focus on problem areas such as sibling groups, teenagers, unaccompanied asylum seekers, and children who have suffered complex trauma.
Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing, Claire Coutinho said: “Our wide-ranging reforms will put strong relationships at the heart of the care system. From supporting our brilliant foster carers, kinship carers and social workers to getting early help to families and improving children’s homes, we want every child to get the support and protection they need.”
The Children Law department at Bretherton Law have been helping families in Hertfordshire for over 50 years, offering professional, experienced and sympathetic advice to those in need. We are proud to be accredited by the Law Society in Children Law, and are members of Resolution, the organisation representing family lawyers and other professionals in the field.
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