Government looks to make enduring relationships a “golden thread” through children’s social care

The Department for Education has published a new policy paper setting out its ambition to make enduring relationships a “golden thread” through children’s social care. Enduring relationships for care-experienced children sets out how government wants children and young people who have experience of the care system to be supported to build and maintain lasting relationships with the people who matter to them.

The paper reflects growing evidence about the importance of consistent, trusted relationships in children’s lives and recognises that these relationships can provide children and young people with belonging, stability, practical support and emotional connection both during childhood and into adulthood.

_{Family networks and Family Group Decision Making}

A significant theme within the policy is the importance of families and wider family networks. The Department for Education highlights Family Help, Family Group Decision Making (FGDM), family network support packages, kinship care and reunification as important opportunities to help children remain safely connected to their families and wider networks. FGDM is identified as a way of unlocking the potential of family networks and enabling the people who matter to children to play a meaningful part in decisions about their lives. This closely reflects the direction of the wider Families First reforms, which place greater emphasis on working alongside families, involving their networks and providing earlier, more integrated support.

_{Relationships as a core part of practice}

The policy goes beyond individual initiatives and proposes that enduring relationships become embedded across children’s social care practice, service design and accountability. Practitioners are encouraged to understand who matters to each child, support those connections and consider relationships as an important part of planning and decision-making.

The policy also confirms that the Early Career Standards for child and family social workers are expected to be embedded by April 2027, with relationships at the heart of practice.

Alongside this, the government is reviewing areas including care planning, fostering standards and the role of Independent Reviewing Officers and intends to develop a measure of enduring relationships as part of future accountability arrangements.

_{A wider shift towards relational and family-led practice}

The publication adds to an increasingly consistent direction across children and family policy. Families First is strengthening Family Help and Family Group Decision Making. The expansion of kinship support recognises the importance of wider family networks. The government’s recent response to the review of early deaths among care leavers has also highlighted the importance of continuing relationships and avoiding abrupt losses of support as young people move into adulthood. Together, these developments reinforce a simple but important principle: relationships are not an additional element of effective support for children and families – they are fundamental to it.