Councils get £30m to support children in care, but charity calls for national rollout

A charity has welcomed £30million in Government funding for councils to support children in care, but warns that too many young people will miss out unless the programme is rolled out nationwide.

Twenty-three councils are set to receive the financial boost from the Department of Education which will enable around 1,000 children in care to build support networks through the Lifelong Links programme.

Among the recipients are Southwark council as well as Wandsworth council – an existing provider of the programme.

In 2013, The Care Inquiry concluded that the greatest failing of the care system was that it often broke, rather than built, relationships for children in care. In 2023, the Children’s Commissioner for England said that 37 per cent of children in care who have siblings are separated from them.

Developed by the charity Family Rights Group, Lifelong Links is delivered by trained and independent coordinators who work with a child in care to find out who is important to them and who they would like to meet or be back in touch with. 

With the young person’s agreement and direction, coordinators set up a family group conference to make a plan to ensure these relationships continue to grow. 

A spokeswoman from Southwark council said: “Lifelong Links is a very welcome addition to our work to help our children in care and care leavers build loving support networks that will sustain them throughout their life.

“We want our children in care to benefit from strong links to the people who are important to them, which is why we are building new children’s homes in Southwark to reduce out-of-borough placements.”

Family Rights Group says that the investment recognises that Lifelong Links is a “gamechanger” for the care system, but warns that too many young people in care will still not have the opportunity to benefit unless it is rolled out across the country wide.

There are now more than 100,000 children in the care system across the UK. 

Cathy Ashley, chief executive of Family Rights Group, said: “Todays announcement is an important step in the right direction, taking the total number of UK local authorities offering Lifelong Links to 42. 

“But it still leaves young people in the care system in most councils denied the opportunity to benefit. 

“Our Build Not Break campaign is calling on the new Government to ensure it is available to all children and young people in the care system and care leavers.”

According to independent evaluations, 78 per cent of children participating in the programme reported an improved sense of identity, mental health and well being.

Lifelong Links has also reduced the possibility of a young person becoming homeless by 10 per cent, according to the Policy Institute at King’s College London.

The Department for Education has been approached for comment.

(Picture: Pexels, edwardeyer)