UK Government Commits £8.4 Million to Lifelong Support for 80,000 Children in Care
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 4
UK Government Commits £8.4 Million to Lifelong Support for 80,000 Children in Care
1 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 4
Summary
£8.4 million will be spent over three years to offer all children in care and care leavers help building lasting relationships with trusted adults, expanding support beyond a 2023 pilot in 25 local areas.
The rollout builds on the Finding Family programme, which funds coordinators to reconnect young people with relatives or strengthen bonds with carers, teachers or other adults; participants formed nearly two meaningful relationships on average.
Cases in Hertfordshire included Poppie, 18, who stayed close to former care-home workers Brigitte Marshall and her son, and Mackenzie, 20, who reconnected with extended family after six years in care.
Josh MacAlister said the move is part of wider children's social care reforms, including more foster placements, keeping children closer to home and extending council support on housing and employment to age 25.
The expansion comes as care leavers still face severe risks: they are three times more likely to be out of education, employment or training and can become homeless within two years, prompting calls for stronger housing and jobs support.
With only £35 per child annually, can a 'family finding' scheme truly fix the deep-rooted isolation facing 80,000 care leavers?
As the UK finds 'family' for care leavers, who will solve their urgent housing, employment, and mental health crises?
Rather than finding new families, why isn't the care system better at preserving children's original family connections from the start?
£8.4 Million "Finding Family" Programme: Transforming Lifelong Relationship Support for Care-Experienced Young People in England (2026 Reform Report)
Overview
In June 2026, the UK government made a major commitment to lifelong relationship support for care-experienced young people, following the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026. This Act puts lasting relationships at the heart of the care system, addressing the problem that the system often breaks important bonds for children in care. To fix this, the government launched the Finding Family programme, based on the Lifelong Links model co-created by the Family Rights Group and young people in care. This approach helps care-experienced young people find, build, and keep strong connections with trusted adults, aiming to give them the support they need into adulthood.