Campaigning for Children in Care

Children and young people in the care system can go on to have positive and successful lives. But far too often their life chances are disrupted because the state is not a good enough parent.

Stability, consistency, care and love are the vital ingredients of family life. They are the essential foundation for academic or vocational success.

The Adolescent and Children’s Trust (TACT) is the UK’s largest dedicated fostering charity. At TACT, not only have we been helping to provide loving homes for vulnerable children for more than 25 years – we are also a voice for children in care. Which is why we regularly campaign to improve policy affecting children and young people in care across the UK.

TACT Responses to Government Consultations

Drawing on the experiences from our fostering services and our young people and foster carers, TACT look to influence policy at a national level, making recommendations through responses to Government consultation. Our latest responses can be seen below:

Public Services Lessons from Coronavirus

Changes to the Adoption and Children Regulations: Coronavirus

Reforms to unregulated provision for children in care and care leavers

As part of the campaigning work we do, we regularly work with children, young people, carers, other charities, local authorities, policy and political decision makers to improve new and proposed legislation

TACT Call to Action 2019

We updated our Call to Action in 2019 with further calls to make sure children in care and care experienced people are considered as a matter of urgency by policymakers.

Read our Call to Action 2019 manifesto.

TACT Call to Action 2017

In our Call to Action 2017-2020 we ask policymakers and public servants to bring the needs of children in care and care leavers to the forefront of social policy.

The following proposals were shaped by children, young people and foster carers at TACT, and are designed to help the state fulfil its responsibility as corporate parent to so many vulnerable children.

The voice of children and young people should always be heard in the design of policy for children in care.

Read our Call to Action 2017 manifesto.

Rethinking Social Policy for Asylum Seeking Care Leavers - October 2016

The aim of this paper is to influence a positive approach to the support of all children and young people in or about to leave our care. This of course includes unaccompanied asylum seeking care leavers. Since the Immigration Act 2016, the unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) in the UK are seriously disadvantaged. Even when they’ve been here for a few years, done well in school, been happily settled with wonderful foster parents – by the time of their 18th birthday, the young asylum seeker’s life is turned upside down.

We hope that this paper will help reopen the debate on support for asylum seeking care leavers and improve their outcomes, whether they remain here or return to their country of origin.

Read TACT’s Rethinking Social Policy for Asylum Seeking Care Leavers.

The Children and Social Work Bill 2016

TACT have drafted amendments that will promote positive policy outcomes on three major areas impacting on children in and leaving care.

We are campaigning for:

  • Free Tuition Fees for Care Leavers
  • A local offer for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children
  • Foster Carers as Personal Advisers

View TACT’s Briefing on the Children and Social Work Bill.