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Today the Scottish Government released new national guidance for child protection.
The guidance describes the responsibilities and expectations for all involved in protecting children in Scotland and will support the care and protection of children across Scotland.
We welcome today’s announcement from the Department for Education of £20m funding to provide more early health and education support for families in England.
Today legislation was introduced in Scotland to give siblings in care legal rights to maintain their relationships.
Part 13 of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020 and the Looked After Children (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2021 mean local authorities now have a legal duty to ensure siblings are supported to stay together, where appropriate. Where it is not appropriate for brothers and sisters to live together, steps should be taken to help them stay in regular touch with each other and to nurture their relationships.
We welcome the report published last week by the Social Market Foundation on the future of fostering in England calling for a commitment from Government to raise the standards of care we expect and to improve outcomes for children with care experience.
The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care in England, led by Josh McAllister, today published their Case for Change report.
Stoke City FC has today become the first Fostering Friendly football club in the UK.
The Potters and bet365, who combined employ more than 4,000 staff in Stoke, have joined The Fostering Network’s Fostering Friendly employer initiative.
The accreditation aims to make a real difference to children and young people’s lives through implementing fostering friendly HR policies such as offering foster carers flexible working or paid time off for child care training, fostering-related meetings, or settling a new child into their home.
Yesterday, the Department for Education announced a further £50 million for councils to support care leavers. The majority of this funding, £33 million, is for further investment in Staying Put, the scheme which allows care experienced young people in England to remain living with their former foster carers after they turn 18. This is a 40 per cent increase on the funding allocated in 2019/20 and is based on the increased number of young people opting to stay put.
Last weekend, the whole of the UKs fostering community came together to recognise the work of foster carers during the Covid19 pandemic and to thank them, and to remember those from the fostering community who sadly lost their lives.
In the past year, and amidst the Covid19 pandemic, over 55,000 foster families provided stable and loving homes to more than 65,000 children across the UK. This has been done in the most extraordinary circumstances, making foster carers one of the many unsung heroes of the pandemic.
The UK’s leading fostering charity, The Fostering Network, is calling on those with the right skills and experience to consider becoming a foster carer this Foster Care FortnightTM (10 – 23 May).
With over 8,600 new foster families needed across the UK in 2021, becoming a foster carer could be the ideal opportunity for those with the right skills to give back to their community and make a positive difference to the lives of children and young people.
Updated 12/4/21
