Extra funding announced for children in care through Lifelong Links programme

More children in care in Birmingham will be able to maintain important relationships with people like siblings, schoolfriends, former foster carers or teachers, thanks to new funding from the Department for Education.

Birmingham Children's Trust is receiving a share of £30 million, spread between 23 authorities across England, to continue offering the innovative Lifelong Links programme. Since the programme was first rolled out in Birmingham in 2020, over 80 children have already taken part.

Lifelong Links was developed by the charity Family Rights Group, working with young people. It has been referred to as “one of the most successful innovations” in children’s services in recent years by Isabelle Trowler CBE, the Government’s Chief Social Worker for Children and Families. It responds to the fact that children may have important relationships broken as they move into or within the care system.

In the programme, a trained and independent Lifelong Links coordinator works with a child in care to find out who is important to them and who they would like to meet or be back in touch with. Working with the young person, they safely bring together this network of support at a Lifelong Links family group conference to make a plan to ensure these relationships continue to grow.

Cathy Ashley, chief executive of Family Rights Group, which worked with young people to develop Lifelong Links, says: “Lifelong Links is transforming lives for children in care. It is increasing the number of people they have to turn to, improving their mental health and sense of identity, and reducing the chance of becoming homeless. These and other impacts reduce councils’ social care costs, meaning that the programme more than pays for itself. We can’t wait to hear feedback and results from Birmingham Children's Trust on how it continues to improve the life chances of young people in care.

“While we’re delighted to announce new Department for Education funding for 23 English councils, we believe that every child in care in the country needs to have access Lifelong Links. The 2022 Independent review of children's social care agrees, and this new funding is a step in the right direction, meaning there are now to 42 councils across the country delivering Lifelong Links. We’re delighted that Birmingham Children's Trust has been part of the success of the scheme so far, and that we can continue to work with them.”

Emma Lewis, Family Group Conference and Lifelong Links Team Manager at Birmingham Children's Trust, says: “Everyone needs people who care about them, who they can turn for emotional and practical support. Through Lifelong Links, we have already built relationships for around 80 of our young people in care, and recent care leavers aged between 14 and 25, connecting and reuniting them with a loving support network. This includes some of our most vulnerable care experienced young people serving custodial sentences. We’re pleased to be able to extend this offer in Birmingham to include children aged 8 and over. We owe them this opportunity and would LOVE to extend this offer to all!

“If you’re a young person in care and would like to find out more about Lifelong Links, contact your social worker, your Personal Advisor or email lifelonglinks@birminghamchildrenstrust.co.uk.”

For more information on Lifelong Links and how it supports children in care, watch Sadie's story...