Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support kinship carers in Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend constituency.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Local authorities in England are responsible for setting out a Kinship Local Offer, which outlines the support available to kinship carers and the children they care for.
This offer should cover all types of kinship care arrangements, both formal and informal, and can include information on financial support, legal advice, training and peer support, and educational and emotional wellbeing services.
Nationally, support is available to kinship carers through peer-to-peer support groups and a programme of training, delivered by the charity Kinship. This includes free workshops, events and access to advice and guidance. Virtual School Heads also work with schools to promote the education of children in kinship care and ensure their needs are met and kinship carers in Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend can benefit from this.