Earlier this year we were delighted to be asked to contribute to a report compiled by The Centre for Social Justice, Safely Reducing the Number of Children Going into Care.

Recently published, this report focuses on the failings of the current children’s care system, the poor outcomes for children in care and the alarming increase in the number of children entering the care system – an increase in 3% in the last year.

The report shines a light on these issues and provides potential solutions, focusing on impact of relationships and recommending that the care system should be structured in such a way that continuous stable relationships, both within the family and with professionals, should be encouraged.

Within the report, CFAB’s CEO Carolyn Housman points out that there are currently 18,000 Looked After Children in England and Wales who may have family members abroad who could – and should – be explored as options for their long term care. The report reflects on CFAB’s research from 2018 which demonstrated that over half of the local authorities in England and Wales admitted that family overseas had not been considered as a care option for children between 2015 - 2017. To counter this trend, CFAB is calling for improved data on the number of children in care who have family abroad, the placement of children from care with family abroad, and the outcomes for these placements; specific training for social workers dealing with international kinship care; and early case assessment to determine the appropriateness of international kinship carers.

To find out more and read the report, click here.

To find out more about CFAB’s Safe, Secure and Thriving campaign, click here.

About the Centre for Social Justice

Established in 2004 by Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, the Centre for Social Justice is an independent think-tank that studies the root causes of Britain’s social problems and addresses them by recommending practical, workable policy interventions. The CSJ’s vision is to give people in the UK who are experiencing the worst multiple disadvantages and injustice every possible opportunity to reach their full potential.