PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP
THURSDAY 14 NOVEMBER 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Alistair Strathern, Labour MP for Hitchin, this week continued his ongoing campaign for more support for Kinship Carers, hosting the first debate of the new Parliament on Kinship Care.
Mobilising significant cross-party support, and with a number of local Kinship Carers in attendance, Strathern’s debate highlighted an ever-growing recognition of kinship carers' essential role and the support they need.
As a dedicated advocate for kinship carers, Strathern has consistently worked alongside passionate activists to drive meaningful change. Their efforts have contributed to significant progress under the new Labour government, including the recent appointment of a Kinship Ambassador and the introduction of funding for a new pilot kinship allowance as announced in the budget.
Strathern used the debate to welcome the significant progress that has already been made for Kinship Carers under the new government, and highlight areas for further work from therapeutic support to parental leave. He was joined in doing so by colleagues from across the house, with MPs from all of the major parties speaking up to back Kinship Care.
In their response, the Minster paid tribute to Strathern's campaigning on this issue, and committed to continuing to work with him to deliver for Kinship Carers.
Commenting, Alistair Strathern MP said:
“Kinship carers go above and beyond to provide the children in their care the very best possible start in life.
“Stepping up to look after children at a really traumatic time, they take on a role like no other, yet they often don’t receive the recognition or support they so deeply deserve.
"Our new government has already made meaningful progress to address this, and I’m optimistic we can go even further. I’ll be continuing to work closely with government to ensure the needs of these unsung heroes are acknowledged and I’ll do everything I can to keep championing our kinship carers."
Janet Daby, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education, said:
“I congratulate Alistair Strathern on securing this important debate. He has a keen interest in supporting kinship carers, and it is great to hear his passion and advocacy for kinship families in his constituency.
“The Government’s mission is to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life, and that includes supporting the amazing role that kinship carers play.
“I thank all kinship carers for the excellent caring work that they do, and the love and compassion they show to the children and loved ones they look after.”
<ENDS>
Notes to Editors
You can see a clip from the debate here, and a picture attached taken before the debate with Alistair and Kinship Carers.
Alistair previously raised kinship care with the Prime Minister in PMQs in January 2024.
Earlier this year he held an oversubscribed, landmark debate on the kinship care strategy, you can read the debate and all the contributions, here.
Labour Minister for Children and Families, Janet Daby MP’s first Ministerial visit was to meet with kinship carers: https://kinship.org.uk/our-work-and-impact/news/new-education-minister-meets-kinship-carers-who-are-keeping-children-out-of-the-care-system/
The Labour government has appointed a National Kinship Care Ambassador to advocate for kinship families and work with local authorities to improve services: https://x.com/JahnineDavis/status/1846596247966437837
In kinship week, the new government published a new framework for local authorities: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/kinship-care-framework-for-local-authorities
As requested by campaigners, the Labour government published a definition of kinship in the above framework: “kinship care” is any situation in which a child is being raised in the care of a friend or family member who is not their parent. The arrangement may be temporary or longer term. (full definition is on pg 7).
A new kinship allowance is being trialled as outlined at Budget, welcomed by Kinship charity: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-protects-education-priorities-in-face-of-inherited-22-billion-blackhole
Kinship have moved their ‘kinship care policy tracker’ from ‘slow progress’ to ‘good progress’ since Labour entered office and took the above steps.
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