Report on family life

Commenting on part one of the Independent Family Review by the Children’s Commissioner for England Steve Crocker, ADCS President, said:

“This new research gives an important insight into modern family life, what it means to children and grown ups and where they turn for support. Families are complex and come in different shapes and sizes, this can change over time, and do not have to include blood relatives, yet what comes across clearly in this report is the importance of strong, positive and lasting relationships in children’s lives and the protective effect families can have against adversity. Investing in families in order to improve children’s well-being and long term outcomes is not only the right thing for the government to do, it is good for society, and it is smart economic policy. Similarly, investing in the unmet needs of adults helps create healthy, happy families and has a knock on effect on society too.

“The Association has long called for children and their families to be at the heart of all decisions made in Whitehall, to create a country that works for them. Improving outcomes for children and families must be the golden thread running across all government departments. Financial pressure was a common concern raised by the families surveyed, linked to the cost of living. Now more than ever, families need the government to support them with rising food, fuel and energy prices which will push many more families into poverty, and damage children’s life chances.

“For children in care who cannot live with their birth families we must ensure they too benefit from the loving, supportive and enduring relationships that they need and deserve. The independent review of children’s social care seeks to put relationships front and centre of children’s social care and to shift the dial on how and when we support children and families making the case for greater investment in them. ADCS is keen to work closely with government, and others, to achieve meaningful reform for children in care and to secure the long-term sustainable investment needed to enable all children and families to thrive.”

ENDS

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