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<p> </p><p>The Government has taken a number of actions to improve the quality of
support provided to children being brought up in kinship care arrangements. Section
17 of the Children Act 1989 gives local authorities powers to provide services to
support the upbringing of children in need by their families. Local authorities should
act on their powers under Section 17 to assess the needs of children living with kinship
carers, which should lead to appropriate support to families regardless of whether
or not children in their care are looked after.</p><p> </p><p>In March 2011, the Government
issued Family and Friends Care Statutory Guidance for local authorities where it is
made clear, every authority, in England should have a policy describing how it will
promote and support the needs of children living with kinship carers. This policy
should be widely available and publicised, using media such as websites and leaflets.</p><p>
</p><p>In October and November last year the Department for Education held two national
learning days for senior managers and for local authority staff directly involved
in supporting family and friends carers. These events raised awareness of legal requirements
and encouraged the spread of good professional practice in this important area of
work.</p><p> </p><p>In February 2014 the Department set up a working group with local
authorities to look at practice issues and best practice with the intention of using
these findings in peer to peer support and learning in order to increase the quality
of practice across the country.</p><p> </p><p>In May 2014 the Department for Education
issued an information leaflet for family and friend carers which explained their legal
entitlements for support from local authorities, including under section 17 of the
Children Act 1989.</p><p> </p><p>I wrote to all local authorities in July 2013 to
remind them of their statutory duty to hold a family and friends policy and now 140
have published policies.</p><p> </p>
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