Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the cost of living crisis on kinship carers.

Kinship carers play a vital role in caring for children and the department recognises the impact increased cost of living pressures will place on their ability to provide that care.

The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care sets out recommendations that seek to improve the financial and practical support kinship carers receive., The department is due to respond to those recommendations early in 2023.

Statutory guidance issued to local authorities makes clear that children and young people should receive the support that they and their carers need to safeguard and promote their welfare. There is no limit on the level of support, including financial support, that local authorities can provide. All local authorities should have in place clear eligibility criteria in relation to the provision of support services.