Kinship Assessment Guide – Members of the 2017 working group

Members of the 2017 working group

• Paul Adams, Fostering Development Consultant, CoramBAAF
• Noel Arnold, Then Director of Legal Practice, Coram Children’s Legal Centre
• Cathy Ashley, Chief Executive, Family Rights Group
• Judy Bell, Practice Support Consultant (North West), The Fostering Network
• Susannah Bowyer, Assistant Director, Research in Practice
• Ann Buchanan, Trustee, Kinship
• Kathy Butcher, Nagalro
• Elizabeth Cape Cowens, Then Solicitor, Blackfords LLP (Previously Bindmans LLP)
• Martha Cover, Then Head of Coram Chambers and Co-Chair, Association of Lawyers for Children
• Kelli Eboji, Acting Principal Officer, Looked After Children and Permanency Service, Children and Young People, London Borough of Brent
• Richard Green, Then National Child Care Policy Manager, Cafcass
• Anna Gupta, Senior Lecturer, Dept of Social Work, Royal Holloway
• Katy Halliday, Assistant Team Manager, Safeguarding and Support, London Borough of Hounslow
• Andrea Hopkins, Then Legal Adviser, Family Rights Group
• Bev Hendricks, Nagalro
• Pam Ledward, Principal Social Work Adviser (Policy), Family Rights Group
• Bridget Lindley, Deputy Chief Executive and Principal Legal Adviser, Family Rights Group (until her death 2 March 2016)
• Uma Mehta, Chief Lawyer, London Borough of Islington
• Andrew Pack, Care Lawyer, Brighton, and Hove City Council
• Celia Parker, recently retired as Principal Social Worker for London Borough of Southwark
• David Roth, Researcher, SCIE
• John Simmonds OBE, Director of Policy, Research and Development, Coram Baaf and Chair of the Kinship Care Alliance
• Steve Walker, Then Director of Children’s Services, Leeds City Council and representing Association of Directors of Children’s Services
• Natasha Watson, Principal Lawyer, Brighton and Hove City Council

We are grateful to the engagement of officials from the Department for Education. A huge thank you is also due to Steve Flood for proofreading the guide and most importantly to the many family and friends carers who attended focus groups and meetings to inform the guide, and commented on its various drafts.

• Guide home page with detailed contents list
• Section 1. Introduction: Why initial family and friends care assessments (commonly known as viability assessments) matter
• Section 2. Principles and best practice
• Section 3. Factors to consider during the assessment
• Section 4. Undertaking international viability assessments
• Section 5. Forming a conclusion
• Appendices