Who Are We?
We are made up of a group of organisations which subscribe to a set of shared aims and beliefs on the issue of family and friends care. We meet regularly to develop a joint policy agenda and agree strategies to promote our aims.
The aims of the Kinship Care Alliance are to:
- Prevent children from being unnecessarily raised outside the family
- Enhance outcomes for children who cannot live with their parents and who are living with relatives
- Secure improved recognition and support for family and friends carers.
Read more about the Kinship Care Alliance.
New cross-party Parliamentary Taskforce on Kinship Care
Anna Turley MP, with the support of Family Rights Group and the Kinship Care Alliance, has set up Parliamentary Taskforce on Kinship Care. The aim is to raise awareness about, and support for, children in kinship care (also known as family and friends care) and to highlight the importance of this option for children who cannot live with their parents.
Attached is a draft letter that kinship carers can use in order to raise the matters that are important to you with your MP. Once you have added in your details, please email or post it to your MP in order to encourage them to get involved in the Taskforce. If you are not sure, who your MP is, or do not know their address, you can find it out through this website https://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/
Download template letter for Kinship Carers here. Please do also copy the letter that you send to your MP and any response that you get to the Taskforce c/o This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or post these letters to the Parliamentary Taskforce c/o Cathy Ashley, Family Rights Group, Print House, 18 Ashwin Street, London E8 3DL.Agenda for Action 2017 – please support our campaign
The Kinship Care Alliance has published an Agenda for Action setting out recommendations that we think need to be implemented following the general election 2017.
We want to see the following changes:
- That children who cannot live with their parents are able to grow up within their wider family wherever possible, taking account of children's wishes and feelings.
- That children living in family and friends care are not overlooked and have their needs met.
- That children and their family and carers are not plunged into poverty and are assisted not penalised by the benefits and welfare system.
- That family and friends carers have access to free legal advice and information services to protect the children.
- That family and friends carers are enabled to stay in work and not forced to give up their jobs when taking on the care of the children.