Media centre
Welcome to Family Rights Group’s media centre for journalists. Please find all the details of our latest press releases and how to contact us.
All national or local media enquiries can be made to Family Rights Group’s Chief Executive
Cathy Ashley: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Office: 020 7923 2628. Mob: 07931 570149.
Please note these numbers are for journalist enquiries only.
Press releases/Articles
2020
12.06.2020 Cathy Ashley, our chief executive, is quoted in this article in Community Care about families’ experiences of the child welfare system during the Pandemic.
06.05.2020 PARLIAMENTARY TASKFORCE ON KINSHIP CARE - Government urged to step up and support kinship carers during the crisis to avoid placement breakdown.
13.03.2020 Government funding secured for the future of Family Rights Group’s advice service to families.
16.01.2020 The Government has written to local authorities today telling them to prioritise adoption for children in care.
2019
23.09.2019, Family Rights Group has carried out an extensive survey of kinship carers - family and friends who take on the care of a child, who cannot remain at home due to tragedy or trauma. 845 kinship carers raising at least 1252 kinship children filled in the survey. The survey report - ‘The highs and lows of kinship care: analysis of a comprehensive survey of kinship carers 2019’ is published today. Cathy Ashley, Chief Executive of Family Rights Group said...
07.02.2019, In response to the Ministry of Justice report (entitled Legal Support: The Way Ahead), Cathy Ashley, Chief Executive of Family Rights Group commented...
2018
18.07.2018, Supreme Court judgment on children who come into care under voluntary arrangements (section 20 Children Act 1989) press release
13.06.2018, Care Crisis Review press release
17.05.2018, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s report Firm Foundations criticises local authorities for flouting the law at family and friends carers’ expense
20.04.2018, Judicial victory for Kinship carers
08.04.2018, New survey highlights financial hardship facing kinship carers
2017
10.07.2017, Family Rights Group has today launched the Your Family, Your Voice Alliance Knowledge Inquiry report on section 20 voluntary arrangement for children coming into the care system
20.03.2017, Press release from Family Rights Group on Department for Education Innovation Programme funding to trial Lifelong Links
02.03.2017, Victory: Extension of legal aid to all parents in court proceedings whose children may be adopted
12.01.2017, Good Samaritan exploited by local authority
2015
13.10.2015, New kinship care research shows potentially disastrous effects of tax credit and welfare reform
27.03.2015, Press release on new report from Family Rights Group on 'Could do better...Must do better: A study of family and friends care local authority policies' by Mercer A, Lindley B and Hopkins A
15.02.2015, Tristram Hunt, Shadow Secretary of State for Education announced that the Labour Party, if elected into Government, would introduce a series of measures aimed at improving the situation for children being raised by grandparents and other kinship carers. In response, Cathy Ashley, Chief Executive, Family Rights Group commented...
10.02.2015, Article by Cathy Ashley, Chief Executive, Family Rights Group in Progress on-Line on helping families stay together. The article challenges the assumption that the primary role of the child welfare system is to change families
26.01.2015, What happens to siblings in the care system? Report by Cathy Ashley and David Roth, Family Rights Group, 26 January 2015
2014
15.01.2014, 803% rise in domestic violence related calls over last 5 years – and victims have fewer options
13.01.2014, Charity blasts irresponsible advice from John Hemming MP to Panorama: ‘I Want My Baby Back’
2013
30.12.2013, Bridget Lindley, Family Rights Group's Deputy Chief Executive and Principal Legal Adviser awarded an OBE
29.11.2013, Local Government Ombudsman Report slams local authorities for the way family and friends foster carers are treated
19.11.2013, Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP challenges the Government to do the right thing and legislate so children raised by their older brothers or sisters get the recognition and help they need
28.10.2013, Engaging families early: time for a national protocol?’ Article by Bridget Lindley, Deputy Chief Executive and Principal Legal Adviser, Family Rights Group in November Family Law © Jordan Publishing Ltd, London (2013)
01.08.2013, Response from Family Rights Group into the Local Government Ombudsman’s finding into complaint no 12 006 209 into Liverpool City Council...
14.05.2013, Children and Families Bill is ‘unworkable’ say The College of Social Work and Family Rights Group...
14.05.2013, 'Family and friends carers should not be expected to cope unaided' - Article in the guardian about our joint new research with Oxford University entitled It's Just Not Fair!
26.03.2013, Family Rights Group Chief Executive, Cathy Ashley's article in the Huffington Post on UK Adoption Reform: The Dangers of Repeating Australia's Shame
26.02.2013, Family Rights Group Chief Executive, Cathy Ashley's response in the Guardian on the new Children and Families Bill 2013...
2012
01.10.2012, Leading charities launch the Care Inquiry...
24.08.2012, Family Rights Group has published its proposed response to the Government’s revised statutory safeguarding guidance...
31.07.2012, Commenting on Mr Justice Ryder's proposal for the modernisation of family justice, Cathy Ashley, Chief Executive of Family Rights Group says...
10.07.2012, Family Rights Group Chief Executive, Cathy Ashley's response to the new General Medical Council (GMC) guidance on child protection...
06.07.2012, In response to the government’s plan to simplify and speed up the adoption process announced today by the Prime Minister, Cathy Ashley, Chief Executive of Family Rights Group said...
22.06.2012, The Kinship Care Alliance responds to the change to welfare benefits for kinship carers who look after children unable to live with their parents...
22.06.2012, Local fun day for family and friends carers in London Borough of Lambeth on 7th July 2012, Chief Executive of Family Rights Group, Cathy Ashley says...
22.06.2012, Local fun day for family and friends carers in London Borough of Wandsworth on 30th June 2012, Chief Executive of Family Rights Group, Cathy Ashley says...
20.06.2012, Cathy Ashley, Family Rights Group Chief Executive, responds to the launch of a new select committee investigation into the adoption process in England and Wales...
25.05.2012, Family Rights Group Chief Executive, Cathy Ashley’s response to the regional care application figures released by Cafcass today...
12.04.2012, Cathy Ashley, Family Rights Group chief executive’s response to rise in care applications...
27.03.2012, Major new research studies on family and friends care launched by Family Rights Group today...
14.03.2012, Cathy Ashley, Family Rights Group Chief Executive, has spoken out against government plans to draw up score cards for the speed with which local authorities are placing children for adoption...
06.03.2012, New film helps families and professionals deal with child protection conferences...
09.02.2012, In response to the record numbers of children being referred into care, Cathy Ashley, Chief Executive of Family Rights Group commented...
31.01.2012, In response to BBC2 documentary, Protecting Our Children (shown last night), Cathy Ashley, Chief Executive of Family Rights Group commented...
2011
22.12.2011, In response to the Government’s review on the assessment process for prospective adopters including formation of an expert panel, Cathy Ashley, Chief Executive of Family Rights Group commented...
10.11.2011, Statement from Cathy Ashley, Chief Executive Family Rights Group in response to today’s Court of Appeal Judgement re Kent County Council (versus a grandparent carer)
03.11.2011, In response to the Family Justice Review's final report today, Cathy Ashley, Chief Executive of Family Rights Group commented...
31.10.2011, In response to the Government’s announcements today on adoption, Cathy Ashley, Chief Executive of Family Rights Group commented...
