Kinship Carers

The motion

That the Parliament welcomes the publication of Spotlight on Kinship Care, by the children’s charity, Buttle UK, and the University of Bristol; understands that this is the first study to quantify the number of children being looked after by a relative in the United Kingdom; considers that, by looking at this analysis, which is based on census data from 2001, when 2011 census data become available in 2013, policymakers will, for the first time, be able to measure growth in informal and formal kinship care and any changing patterns that have emerged; understands that the Parliament’s reports on kinship care were not informed by these figures so kinship policy was created without this information; further understands that, even in 2001, the number of children in kinship care was much greater than Scottish Government estimates and that while many kinship families were poor, those in Scotland were the poorest; considers that this analysis shines a light for the first time on what is considered an invisible section of people who play a critical role in child protection and raising a generation of children with little support, financial or otherwise; considers that this study shows for the first time the level of poverty and disadvantage in kinship families; believes that the number of children affected will be significantly higher partly due to increasing levels of problem parental drug and alcohol abuse and legislation that encourages the placement of children with relatives; considers that society should be grateful to these carers, and congratulates Buttle UK and the University of Bristol for helping to highlight informal kinship carers as a specific group that should inform future policymaking.

No recorded vote on this motion. Most motions are never debated, and many that are debated are agreed without a division. Vote records are published from 2011.

Lab 13 SNP 3 Con 1 LD 1 Green 1

Party shown is each supporter’s party when the motion was published.

No contribution in the Official Report cites S4M-00328 by reference.