In December 2023 The Department for Education published England's first National Kinship Care Strategy, an unprecedented development that represents a critical turning point for kinship carers. The strategy acknowledges the critical contribution made by individuals within their family network who provide care for children, support that has historically been neglected and underappreciated. 

The strategy has a multi-year pilot programme of financial support for select special guardians in eight local authority areas. However, concerns remain regarding kinship carers outside these pilot areas.  According to the report "Breaking Point" by Kinship, an advocacy organisation for kinship families, 12% of kinship carers express concern that their capacity to continue providing care for their children might be jeopardised, thereby placing an unwarranted burden on an already overburdened care system.

While the strategy encourages employers to improve assistance for kinship carer staff, it does not extend the provision to statutory paid leave, which is available to adopters. Kinship reports that after assuming childcare responsibilities, more than eight in ten kinship carers reported quitting their jobs permanently or reducing their hours, with severe repercussions for families and society.

However, it is important to recognise that positive changes have been made in response to Kinship’s #ValueOurLove Campaign.  The strategy renames the ‘Adoption Support Fund’ to the ‘Adoption and Special Guardian Support Fund’ and extends Virtual School’s to kinship children. There is also financial support for peer support groups, but there are still concerns about the sufficiency of therapeutic and educational support for all children in kinship care.

Although the National Kinship Care Strategy provides significant improvements, Kinship stresses that this is the initial phase. Campaigners still hope for all-encompassing reforms that would further enhance support for kinship families to help them make sure children in kinship care have happy and secure childhoods.

Sarah Johal, the National Adoption Strategic Lead at Adoption England said “ Adoption England is committed to transforming the outcomes for vulnerable children and championing kinship families so that more children can thrive. We welcome this strategy as a great step forward in supporting kinship carers and listening to what kinship families want and need.”