My View: Paid Leave for Kinship Carers

I was very sorry not to be able to attend Kinship’s most recent parliamentary reception, but I know that the event provided an insightful opportunity to hear from experts in the care sector, as well as those with lived experience of kinship care. This is an issue really close to my heart, and I was proud to set up the first cross-party kinship carers taskforce in 2018, which is now an All Party Group shaping kinship care policy.

Kinship carers are remarkable people who step up when children need them to provide the most important thing in any childhood: loving relationships and a secure home. They are a critical part of our care system and the support and respect they receive should reflect this.

For too long, the care system has not focused enough on securing stable homes for children or offering help to families early on. I am proud that this Government is working to change that.

I appreciate the work that Kinship has done to highlight the issue of statutory paid leave. I am pleased to see that kinship leave has been included within the scope of our Government’s review of parental leave, which will make recommendations to improve the current parental leave system.

I also wish to highlight our Government’s guidance for employers of kinship carers, which outlines best practices for supporting them at work. This includes how to adapt company policies, signpost existing entitlements for carers at work, and create a supportive working culture. The Department for Education has already introduced its own kinship leave and pay offer, and I would encourage all organisations to consult this guidance and explore changes they could make to better support kinship carers.

I have been proud to support our Government’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill as it has made its way through Parliament. The Bill will define kinship care in law for the first time, require local authorities to publish the support available to kinship families, and ensure group decision‑making meetings take place before a child is taken into care. These steps will improve accountability and help families understand the help they can access.

This allowance recognises the crucial role kinship carers play in keeping families together. The pilot will begin in seven local authority areas, with carers receiving funding per child equivalent to foster care rates. This phased approach will help our Government and councils understand how best to deliver financial support before expanding the scheme.

In addition, our Government has launched a consultation on reforming the adoption support system, with a commitment to ensuring that vulnerable children, including those in kinship care, receive earlier and more targeted help. I would encourage anyone with experience of kinship care to contribute.