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APPG’s Activities and Latest News
March 2026
Our APPG met with the Children’s Minister Josh MacAlister MP.
A key area of focus was the new Kinship Allowance Pilot, with seven new “Kinship Zones” announced in Bexley, Bolton, Newcastle, North East Lincolnshire, Medway, Thurrock, and Wiltshire.
Members pressed the Minister on improving financial support for kinship families beyond the Kinship Zones. The Minister spoke about building a strong spending review case, sharing interim learning from the pilot as early as possible, and the ongoing development and piloting of Family Network Support Packages so local authorities can be investing in family-based care.
Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families, who are leading the evaluation of the pilot with Alma Economics, also provided an update on how that will progress.
Others topics discussed included employment rights for kinship carers, the development of the kinship local offer, special educational needs and disabilities, and the experiences of families raising children with dual heritage.
Thank you also to National Kinship Ambassador Dr Jahnine Davis and Emma Davies from the Department for Education, Sharon McPherson and Kyle Rogers from Families in Harmony, and our secretariat Family Rights Group.
Minutes of the meeting are available to read here.
February 2026
Therapeutic Support
The Department for Education has announced a consultation on adoption and kinship care support, including on the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF).
The ASGSF will continue for two more years to 2028, and the budget will be increased by £5 million to £55 million for 2026/27.
The consultation seeks views on 8 proposals for reform:
1. Develop a baseline offer of parenting support and training at the point of adoption and kinship care.
2. Strengthen peer and community support for adopted children and parents.
3. Provide proactive support for adopted and kinship children at key life stages.
4. Enhance plans to better meet children’s needs, setting clear expectations for families and services via Practice Guides
5. Standardise needs assessments for adopted and eligible kinship children. Commission social care, health, and education support based on their needs.
6. Require clinical adoption support therapies to be compliant with NHS evidence standards. Ensure all interventions are well evidenced and assessed.
7. Devolve Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund funding and responsibility to regional and/or local decision makers
8. Improving value for money to ensure every pound is being spent efficiently, sustainably, and on families
The consultation will run until 5th May.
Responding to the announcement, our Chair Melanie Onn said:
“The decision to extend the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund for two more years, with £55 million confirmed for 2026–27, is positive for eligible families and a welcome shift after last year’s uncertainty.
“The Government has also set out proposals to improve the mental health and wellbeing of adopted and kinship children, many of whom have faced significant early adversity.
“Relatives and friends stepping in as kinship carers tell us how hard it is to secure therapy, counselling, and other support for the children. Too often, help is limited to children who have been in care, and when support is available, it can feel like a system not designed for kinship arrangements.
“We will scrutinise the proposals closely and continue working to ensure every child who needs therapeutic support can access it.”
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
The Department for Education has published the Government’s new schools white paper and a consultation on reforms to provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Our APPG has been shining a spotlight on the experiences of kinship families raising children with special educational needs and disabilities, and we’ll be looking at the proposed reforms closely.
We have been exploring the unique challenges faced by kinship families, drawing on evidence from children and young people, kinship carers, parents and frontline organisations.
Read more on the Government’s proposed reforms:
Key information for families and those working in the sector
Financial Support
The Government has announced the seven local authorities selected for the Kinship Financial Pilot. They will provide a weekly, non-means tested financial allowance to eligible kinship carers from 1st April. Around 5000 children and their families are expected to benefit.
The designated “kinship zones” are:
- Bexley
- Bolton
- Newcastle
- North East Lincolnshire
- Medway
- Thurrock
- Wiltshire
Further details:
- To be eligible, kinship carers must have or be applying for: a special guardianship order, or a child arrangements order where the child would otherwise be in care.
- The money local authorities save as a result of Government funding the new allowance, will be reinvested into wider family network support in those areas.
- £126 million will be provided for the 3.5 years pilot. Funding has been confirmed for the first two years with the remainder part of the next spending review.
- An evaluation will be carried out by Foundations in partnership with Alma Economics.
The Government’s press release is available to read here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-investment-in-support-for-kinship-carers
The National Kinship Care Ambassador has also published a paper about improving the kinship local offer: Improving the kinship local offer and approach to kinship care – GOV.UK
January 2026
During consideration of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill in the House of Lords, the Government confirmed kinship care will be added to the school census.
During our October session, we heard from young people in kinship care who wanted their school to have a better understanding of their situation. Mollie and Jamie from Liverpool have more to say on that below.
National Kinship Care Ambassador Jahnine Davis had confirmed the Department for Education were exploring what could be done through the school census.
Our Chair Melanie Onn has welcomed confirmation of the change:
“Young people raised in kinship care have told us how frustrating they find it having to repeatedly explain to new teachers and school staff why they are not living with their parents. They told us they wanted it to be recorded on the school register to make that easier.
“We conveyed that to the Minister and the Government has announced that kinship care will be added to the school census. This means that where families share that information with their child’s school, their kinship care status will be recorded.
“This is a simple but important step towards better understanding how kinship children fare in school and to improve support for children and their families.”
November 2025
Annual General Meeting 2025
The APPG held its AGM on Tuesday 25th November 2025.
Congratulations to the Group’s officers who were re-elected:
- Chair: Melanie Onn MP
- Vice Chairs: Joe Robertson MP, Munira Wilson MP, Baroness Armstrong
Read the minutes of the meeting
Income and Expenditure Statement and Due Diligence statement.
October 2025
Young people raised in kinship care
In October 2025, our APPG met a group of brilliant and talented young people raised in kinship care who bravely shared their experiences and insights with APPG members and the National Kinship Care Ambassador, Jahnine Davis. The experiences they shared were deeply moving and highlighted the urgent need for policy and practice to reflect the realities of children and young people growing up in kinship families.
The young people shared their frustration at repeatedly having to tell their story and explain their kinship care arrangement to schools and other professionals. They spoke about finding it hard to get the help they needed in school, including with special educational needs and disabilities. Some were worried about not keeping in touch with their siblings when living in different homes. Kyle shared his reflections from mentoring young Black boys in kinship care.
Thanks to Isaac, Jamie, Mollie, Rosa, Maggie, Pauline and Laura from Kinship Carers Liverpool and Kyle and Sharon from Families in Harmony.
Read more about the session in this blog
Read the minutes of the session
The APPG wrote to the Children’s Minister following the session, with three asks:
- Strengthening the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill and guidance to make explicit that the kinship local offer must be co-developed with children and young people in kinship care.
- Champion the inclusion of kinship care in the school census, and promote awareness and training for educators to understand kinship care and address racial bias.
- Support the development of peer support groups and mentoring programmes for young people raised in kinship care, learning from the successful models by Kinship Carers Liverpool and Families in Harmony.
National Kinship Care Week 2025
The APPG celebrated National Kinship Care Week from the 6th to 12th October. An opportunity to raise awareness and celebrate the contribution of kinship families across England and Wales. The national awareness week is coordinated by the Kinship Care Alliance.
The Kinship Care Ambassador hosted a reception at the Department for Education. She also wrote a blog updating on her work so far and her priorities for the year ahead. https://childrenssocialcare.blog.gov.uk/2025/10/06/national-kinship-care-ambassador-2025/
Government response to the Education Select Committee report on children’s social care
The Education Select Committee published the Government’s response to the Committee’s report on children’s social care.
In response to the Committee’s recommendations on kinship care, the Government confirmed plans to test a kinship financial allowance for up to 5000 children and that the review of parental leave and pay will consider the employment challenged faced by kinship carers.
The Government also confirmed that while they do not currently plan to extend Pupil Premium Plus or admissions priority to all children in kinship care, they are exploring the feasibility of collecting data on informal kinship care arrangements through the school census to build a stronger evidence base for future policy development.
September 2025
Spotlight on SEND and Kinship Care
Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) – whether living with their parents, with family and friends, or in the care system – are being let down by a system in crisis. Despite increased funding, outcomes remain poor, and families often face costly legal battles to secure support. Kinship families, who are more likely to care for children with additional needs, face unique challenges that are still not well understood.
As the Government prepares its upcoming white paper on SEND reform, the APPG is working to ensure kinship families’ voices are heard.
This month we held the second of two spotlight sessions hearing from organisations working with kinship families with special educational needs and disabilities.
The speakers were:
- Dr Lucy Peake – Chief Executive of Kinship
- Anna Bird – Chief Executive of Contact and Chair of the Disabled Children’s Partnership
- Johanna Bernard – Co-director of Families in Harmony
- Kate Cox – a member of the legal team at the Independent Provider of Special Education Advice (IPSEA)
- Brian Roberts – Director of Education & Well-being at The National Organisation for FASD
July 2025
Spotlight on SEND and Kinship Care
Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) – whether living with their parents, with family and friends, or in the care system – are being let down by a system in crisis. Despite increased funding, outcomes remain poor, and families often face costly legal battles to secure support. Kinship families, who are more likely to care for children with additional needs, face unique challenges that are still not well understood.
As the Government prepares its upcoming white paper on SEND reform, the APPG is working to ensure kinship families’ voices are heard. This month we held the first of two spotlight sessions hearing the perspectives and experiences of three kinship carers from different parts of England.As the Government prepares its upcoming white paper on SEND reform, the APPG is working to ensure kinship families’ voices are heard. This month we held the first of two spotlight sessions hearing the perspectives and experiences of three kinship carers from different parts of England.
In September, a second APPG spotlight session will hear from organisations working with kinship families with special educational needs and disabilities.
The APPG session also included updates on the:
- Kinship Financial Allowance Pilot: The APPG discussed the scope of the pilot and improving financial support for kinship families living outside of pilot areas. The APPG agreed to write to the Children’s Minister with further questions – read the letter. Read the Government’s response
- Parental Leave and Pay Review: the APPG agreed to response to the Call for Evidence. Read the APPG’s submission
- Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF): The APPG agreed to write to the Children’s Minister to seek clarity on several aspects including the Government’s plans for the future of the Fund – read the letter.
Read more:
A blog from Family Rights Group about the session
Parental Leave and Pay Review
On 1st July, the Government announced the Parental Leave and Pay Review. The review will consider how the parental leave and pay system could be improved to better support working families and meet the needs of the modern economy. Our APPG strongly welcomes the inclusion of kinship families in the Review’s remit.
Read more:
June 2025
Kinship Allowance Financial Pilot
In June, the Government opened applications for local authorities to be involved in the Kinship Financial Allowances Pilot. Under the scheme, eligible kinship carers in up to ten local authorities will receive a weekly, non-means tested financial allowance which will be paid at a rate equivalent to the national minimum fostering allowance. The allowance will apply to children who are either under a special guardianship order and child arrangements order, or where that is the trajectory.
Read more:
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
This major piece of legislation has continued its journey through Committee Stage in the House of Lords.
Peers, including members of the APPG, tabled 13 amendments in relation to kinship care, including on educational support, financial support, employment leave, and legal support.
We draw particular attention to amendments tabled by APPG Member Lord Hampton, himself a kinship carer, which sought to strengthen the requirements under the kinship local offer. This included how local authorities work with families to develop the offer, and the inclusion of information on how families can access legal support.
Read more
May 2025
Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund
APPG Members spoke in a Westminster Hall debate on support for children in adopted and kinship arrangements, with a particular focus on raising concerns about changes to the Fund.
New data secured by the APPG showed that almost half of applications (46%) to the Fund last year were above the new £3000 Fair Access Limit. This demonstrates the potential scale of the impact on affected families.
Read more
April 2025
On 1st April, the All Party Parliamentary Group on Kinship Care welcomed the £50 million extension to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund for 2025-26, announced by Minister Daby in response to an urgent question from APPG Vice Chair Munira Wilson MP.
The APPG’s statement:
“The All Party Parliamentary Group on Kinship Care has heard from kinship carers across the country about the critical difference that therapeutic support makes to the children they are raising.
“We urged the Government to confirm funding for 2025-26, and whilst the £50 million announced today is very welcome the uncertainty has left families in limbo.
“The Minister was unclear on whether further children in kinship care could become eligible for this support. Our Group, alongside families and the sector, has been calling for this to ensure all children in kinship care who need this are able to access it.
“We are encouraged by the extension but will scrutinise the details including any expansion when they are available.”
However, the Government has since announced a number of changes to the criteria for the fund until the end of March 2026:
- The Fair Access Limit (FAL) will now be £3,000, previously £5,000.
- Specialist assessments will no longer be funded separate to the FAL
- There will no longer be match funding applications for therapy which costs more than the £3,000 FAL, or for specialist assessments which cost more than £2,500.
They have also announced that until Spending Review decisions are made, they will only consider applications where the therapy or specialist assessment will be fully completed before the end of March 2026.
The Government say they changes are ‘in order to maximise the number of children who are able to access this fund’.
The APPG is seeking an urgent meeting with the Secretary of State. APPG Members are also working to secure a parliamentary debate on the issue.
APPG Members also raised the issue at Education Questions on 28th April.
March 2025
Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund
The ambiguity around funding beyond March for the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund is leaving families in limbo. The APPG’s officers write to Minister Daby about ensuring children in kinship care can access essential therapeutic support.
Read the letter here. The Minister’s response can be read here.
APPG Meeting
The APPG met on 19th March to discuss the urgent need for clarity on the Adoption & Special Guardianship Support Fund with funding yet to be confirmed beyond the end of the financial year. Clare Walsh, a kinship carer to her sister’s two children, shared her experience and concerns from families like hers about the uncertainty.
The APPG also considered next steps on the kinship local offer, including MPs contacting their local authority, and the APPG’s workplan around special educational needs and disabilities.
A copy of the Minutes can be read here.
Subsequently, Tessa Munt MP urgently raised the issue at Business Questions. Over in the House of Lords, APPG Member Lord Hannay also raised the future of the Fund with Minister Jacqui Smith.
At Prime Minister’s Questions, APPG Vice Chair Munira Wilson MP raised with Keir Starmer the imminent cliff edge in funding for the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund.
Employment support
The APPG wrote to the Chief Executive of Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), Ian Todd, about providing kinship care employment leave for MPs’ staff. There are an estimated 3,500 staff working for MPs on IPSA contracts as personal office staff. Parliament has an opportunity to lead by example, joining the Department for Education and other major employers, in providing a kinship care leave option for staff who require it.
Read the letter here.
January 2025
The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill received Second Reading in Parliament and began scrutiny in Bill Committee. Its provisions include:
- a new mandate on local authorities to offer families the opportunity to come up with solutions for their children’s welfare, to avert children entering the care system.
- a new legal duty on councils to publish a local kinship offer for families and for kinship care to be defined in primary legislation.
- extending the statutory responsibilities of the Virtual School Head role to champion the education of children, including children in kinship care.
APPG Members spoke in the Second Reading debate on 8th January. Group Members were also represented on the Bill Committee, and several amendments were tabled to strengthen the kinship care provisions.
Family Rights Group, the Group’s secretariat, held a briefing for parliamentarians about the Bill on 22nd January.
December 2024
Meeting the National Kinship Care Ambassador
Our Group met with the recently appointed National Kinship Care Ambassador, Jahnine Davis, to discuss her role and priorities.
Jahnine set out four key priorities:
- an emphasis on the voices and experiences of children
- determining what a good local offer for kinship families looks like
- exploring the silences and gaps – including informal arrangements and the experiences of Black and minority ethnic communities
- cross government understanding of kinship care
Read the minutes of the meeting here
Employment Rights Bill
The Group also heard from Munira Wilson MP (APPG Vice Chair and Liberal Democrat spokesperson on Education, Children and Young People) and colleague and APPG member Steve Darling MP, who have tabled amendments to the Employment Rights Bill to introduce paid employment leave for kinship carers. The Bill is currently in Committee stage in the Commons. See the amendments
New Research
Family Rights Group shared new research on the experiences of kinship families in employment, and new cost benefit analysis commissioned from Alma Economics which demonstrates the economic benefits of introducing a right to paid employment leave for kinship carers. Read more
Financial support for kinship carers
The APPG wrote to the Children’s Minister, Janet Daby MP, about financial support for kinship families. The letter asks questions about the construction of the kinship financial allowances pilot announced in the Budget, as well as inequalities in provision of financial support to special guardians. Read the letter. Read the Minister’s reply.
November 2024
First debate of the new Parliament
November saw the first debate on kinship care of the new Parliament, led by Alistair Strathern MP. It was fantastic to see the strength of cross party support for kinship care. Over 20 MPs attended to support and advocate for better practical, emotional and financial support for children and families. With Children’s Minister Janet Daby MP in the chamber to hear the arguments and respond on behalf of the Government. Kinship carers watched from the gallery and spent time sharing their experience with MPs, alongside sector organisations Family Rights Group and Kinship.
Children’s Social Care Policy Paper
The Government also published a new children’s social care policy paper, setting out its approach to reform. It includes:
- The key principles that wherever possible, children should remain with their families and be safely prevented from entering the care system in the first place. Moreover, where children cannot remain at home and it is in their best interests, children should be supported to live with kinship carers or in fostering.
October 2024
Celebrating National Kinship Care Week
The APPG welcomed the appointment of Jahnine Davis as the first ever National Kinship Care Ambassador. See post on X.
“The Ambassador role can ensure children and families in kinship care arrangements have a representative at the heart of national government and an influential voice engaging with and challenging local authorities across the country to push for positive change.
“As it stands, too many children are missing out on the opportunity to live safely in their family, and too many kinship carers struggle to access critical support for their children.
“Jahnine brings significant personal and professional experience to that challenge and our APPG looks forward to engaging with her to deliver the change children and families need.”
September 2024
A new Parliament, a newly established APPG
Following the July 2024 General Election, the APPG held its inaugural Annual General Meeting on 10th September with new Minister for Children and Families, Janet Daby MP.
Congratulations to the APPG’s newly elected officer team:
- Melanie Onn, Labour MP for Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes, is the new Chair. Melanie was raised in kinship care with her great aunt and was a crucial ally in securing key changes like the two child tax credit exemption for kinship care.
- The Group’s vice chairs are: Joe Robertson, Conservative MP for Isle of Wight East. Joe is a former family solicitor and brings new insight from the frontline of the family justice system. Munira Wilson, Liberal Democrat MP for Twickenham. Munira introduced the Kinship Care Bill in the last Parliament and has been a fantastic champion for kinship carers. Baroness Armstrong, former Labour Minister and a stalwart parliamentary campaigner on child welfare issues.
Thank you to outgoing Chair and kinship carer, Andrew Gwynne MP, who has led the Group since 2021. He confirmed he’s already using his new ministerial role to champion kinship carers in Government.
A special mention to members of Family Rights Group kinship carers panel, Shanayd and Ray, who spoke to the APPG. They eloquently shared their experiences and the highs and lows faced by kinship families across the country.
The Minister was clear in her commitment to making positive change for kinship carers and supporting more children to live safely in their families. The Minister said kinship care is on the Government’s priority list and is focused on the upcoming Children’s Wellbeing Bill and spending review.
The APPG’s activities and latest news including media coverage
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