Ms Laura Dunleavy:

A cross-departmental response is needed. Ms Rice has given out an infographic on this. The Department has ongoing policy work and there have been consultations with kinship carers, young people and parents, but we need the involvement of the Departments of Social Protection, housing, justice, higher education and Health. The approach needs to be cross-departmental. For the Department of Social Protection, what is required is that all children in kinship care have accessible financial support, fast-tracked access to welfare supports such as the supplementary welfare allowance, the back to school clothing and footwear allowance and the fuel allowance, without unfair means testing. Kinship carers should have work leave similar to adoptive leave such that they do not have to step away from work and lose out on employment, which has an impact on their pensions. Department of Social Protection staff must recognise kinship care, and there should be trauma-informed practice.

With regard to the Department of housing, we want to consider changing succession rules so kinship carers can take over a tenancy or move into the family home in the sad case of a parental death, preventing homelessness and avoiding having children enter State care due to housing-related issues. That is an issue that arises for family members when they step in during the period of loss. We also need to ensure access to home-improvement grants so that when a grandparent steps in, she does not have to sleep on a couch in a cold room.

For the Department of justice, we want a special guardianship order similar to what is available in the UK, reduced court costs and delays, and the implementation of Valerie’s law. We want the Department of Health to work alongside the Department of justice on a health-led response, upholding citizens’ assembly recommendation No. 22 on supporting kinship families.

Regarding the Department of higher education, young people in kinship care are not recognised in the same way as children with formal care experience, and they face unfair means testing regarding access to SUSI grants. They have to evidence estrangement from a parent.

Regarding the Department of Health, we want the removal of means testing for medical cards so young people have access to a medical card, and also so kinship carers do not have to skip meals to provide basic medical care. We need the prioritisation of health assessments, developmental and therapeutic supports, and access to respite and carer health services. Engagement is needed with the Department of justice on its policy work on kinship and drugs. The Department of children is holding this piece and co-ordinating it, but we need buy-in and support from all of the other Departments to ensure children are supported in a trauma-informed way as well as their carers.

That summary is enough for now. There is more information on the sheet circulated.