A busy year working to improve recognition and support for kinship families where children are raised by relatives and friends. Great to work with such a brilliant group of committed parliamentarians, providing the APPG's secretariat.

This week our APPG will hold a second spotlight session on kinship families raising children with special educational needs and disabilities💡 We will hear evidence from @contactfamilies.bsky.social #FamiliesInHarmony #Kinship #IPSEA @nationalfasd.bsky.social

Today the Government has announced the Parental Leave and Pay Review. Our APPG strongly welcomes the inclusion of kinship families in the Review's remit. Group Chair @melanieonnmp.bsky.social responds:

Thanks to MPs & Peers on @appgkinshipcare.bsky.social for raising the challenges some kinship families are facing booking appointments for the children they are raising to receive crucial therapeutic support. Government must confirm funding ASAP. @melanieonnmp.bsky.social @munirawilson.bsky.social

Our free specialist advice service helps families across England to work with children's services. Families get critical support, children safely avoid the care system and savings are made for the Exchequer. Thanks @chrismcdonaldmp.bsky.social for highlighting our impact in Parliament.

For councillors/lead members for children's services - there's still time to sign up for @familyrightsgp.bsky.social's briefing tomorrow. We'll be covering the Children's Wellbeing Bill and the new duty it will create for family group decision making before children enter the care system.

As the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill continues its passage through Parliament this week, we've taken a closer look at the provisions for children deprived of their liberty. Read our blog from Frances Edwards, legal adviser at Family Rights Group: www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-ch...

From today, reporting restrictions have been eased on family court proceedings across England & Wales. @angelafrazerwicks.bsky.social and @clarewalsh.bsky.social supported the judiciary on piloting these measures in a way that is sensitive to families. Read more: www.cypnow.co.uk/content/news...

🗓️Exclusive online briefing for councillors including lead members for children's services in England. Join us next Thursday to explore the Children’s Wellbeing & Schools Bill and how your authority can deliver the new mandate to offer family group decision making meetings. frg.org.uk/events/counc...

The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill entered the next stage of parliamentary scrutiny this week. We've been working to ensure the Bill is as strong as possible, in supporting children to remain safely in their family.

The Labour Government's plans for children's social care are set to be a game changer, putting families in the driving seat - if done right. @cathyashley.bsky.social and I have written for Progressive Britain on lessons from New Zealand and UK best practice.

Children's Wellbeing Bill could be a game changer for children's social care in England. Giving families the chance to come up with solutions. @cathyashley.bsky.social @jordanbhall.bsky.social write for Progressive Britain about lessons from New Zealand www.progressivebritain.org/solutions-fo...

📢Today, MPs debated the Children’s Wellbeing & Schools Bill – a huge opportunity to reform child welfare! It includes families having the opportunity to come up with solutions before children enter care & a new local kinship care offer. Our analysis 👇 frg.org.uk/policy-and-c...

Parish notice: am looking for a couple of people (ideally grad students with pol science or history background) to help me out with some research for a project I’m working on. Will pay for the time. DM if interested or send on to someone if you think would fit the bill.

Congratulations to Beverley Campbell who has received an MBE in His Majesty’s New Years Honours 🎖️ Beverley is our family participation officer & one of our expert advisers. One mother Beverley advised described her as “an angel in disguise.” Read more: frg.org.uk/news-blogs-a...

Thrilled that Beverley Campbell had been awarded an MBE for services to #kinshipcare. Described as an angel in disguise by many families who she has supported, Beverley is the family participation officer @familyrightsgp.bsky.social & tour de force behind our thriving kinship & parents' panel

📨Read a round up of the Group's work since the general election mailchi.mp/8091321ee67e...

Our APPG has written to Children’s Minister @janetdaby.bsky.social with questions about the Government's plans around financial support for kinship families, including: the kinship financial allowances pilot inequalities in special guardianship allowance provision Read: frg.org.uk/wp-content/u...

Solutions for children designed with the people who know them and love them. That's a central principle of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill presented to Parliament today. We strongly welcome it🧵

Our 50th party in Parliament celebrated our work to improve child welfare 🌟 Including Lifelong Links, created with children in care, to build lasting relationships with those who love them 👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 Thanks to Ashley John-Baptiste, Fred Again, Josh MacAlister MP & @alistrathern.bsky.social for joining us

🔺Investigation We gained rare access to spend 3 days on the frontline with children’s social services. We found a rise in referrals driven by poverty, the housing crisis, and staff pushed to burnout. “A child's death is on every social worker's mind.” www.itv.com/news/2024-12...

Stark regional & local variations in % of children in care who are raised by family & friends (aka kinship foster carers). This isn't okay. All councils should be robustly exploring, including through the offer of a family group conference, whether a child can live safely in their family.

So, 1 episode of Smoggie Queens soon turned into all 6! A big, gay, northern, silly celebration of Boro & it's queer side 😍 IYKYK - Frank's Factory Flooring. The Teesside Princess. The "dirty as anything but beautiful” parmo. Nights in Empire - although with more leather than I remember it...

The Government has published the Policy Statement ahead of the Local Government Finance Settlement in December: www.gov.uk/government/p...

From YouGov: Three quarters support assisted dying law

Chrissi, a grandmother kinship carer in County Durham, spoke to #5News about stepping in to raise her four grandchildren and being forced to give up the job she loved. Our new survey research shows this is too common with 2 in 3 kinship carers have to give up work or reduce their hours.

Tune in to Channel 5 News at 5pm today - we have some exciting new research to share 👀 #ActForKinshipCare #SameLoveSameLeave

Tax due if parents hand on £3m house: £940k Tax due if parents hand on a £3m farm: £0 A reminder of significant tax advantage to farmers vs everyone else AFTER these changes

Children's social care hasn't often had the attention it deserves Very refreshing to see a busy cross-party debate in Parliament on the issue this afternoon. And strong ambition for helping families early, supporting children to stay safely in their family & delivering better for children in care

We are putting together a children's sector starter pack - charities, people etc. If you're out there, let us know and we will add you! 🌱 go.bsky.app/Da51zVg

A thread on what new data today on children in the care system can tell us about how the system is not consistently supporting children to stay safely in their family #kinshipcare