Kinship Carers

Melanie Onn (Great Grimsby) (Lab)
11. What support the Government provide for kinship carers.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Nadhim Zahawi)
The Government recognise the important role that family and friends play in caring for children who are unable to live with their parents. We have set clear duties on local authorities to support children living with family or friend carers, regardless of their legal status.

Melanie Onn
I find that answer particularly interesting because that tells me that the Government are doing absolutely nothing. Three quarters of kinship care families experience severe financial hardship. Does the Minister agree with me that kinship carers should get the same rights and allowances as foster carers, and will he take a first step by agreeing to discount tax credits from the benefit cap for kinship carers?

Nadhim Zahawi
Kinship carers actually have access to benefit entitlements in the same way as birth parents.

Michelle Donelan (Chippenham) (Con)
On Friday night, I held a crime forum in Corsham, and outreach to carers and parents by schools was regularly discussed. Corsham high school already employs a person to do this outreach, and a lot of charities also work in this space. Are there any plans by the Government to review support and to share best practice, which can encourage social mobility?

Nadhim Zahawi
As part of our social mobility action plan, we are looking at all these issues. I would be very happy to discuss them with my hon. Friend.