The government has committed £8.4 million to roll out services to help children and young people in care find and maintain relationships with trusted adults nationally.
The Enduring Relationships programme is designed to help connect children and young people in care with relatives, former carers and other important people in their lives.
Existing family finding schemes provide a ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ style service to care leavers, helping them locate and make contact with these important adults. But these services vary and are not available across England.
Since 2023, the government has funded 25 family finding programmes. One such scheme, Lifelong Links, is currently offered by 49 local authorities across the UK.
The plans to roll out similar programmes across England follows the passing of Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, the biggest overhaul of children’s social care in a generation.
More than 81,000 children were in care as of March 2025. A fifth of children are placed 20 miles away from their homes, with many separated from their siblings and forced to change schools.
In 2024, one in ten children in care moved home three or more times in a year.
Children’s minister Josh MacAlister said: “For too long, the care system has been forced to focus on fighting fires, rather than helping children build the enduring relationships they need to achieve and thrive.
“This government is gripping the problem – we have passed the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act and now we are investing and reforming to give children’s social care the heart that children deserve.”
Cathy Ashley, chief executive of the Family Rights Group, said: “Too often the care system breaks relationships for children and young people and many are moved far away from their family and friends. With each change in their foster or children’s homes and each school move, relationships are lost and young people are left isolated and alone.
“We warmly welcome the government’s commitment to put relationships at the heart of the care system, and the new investment in supporting children to build lifelong, loving relationships.”
Care experienced young people face significantly poorer outcomes later in life, including higher rates of unemployment, homelessness and mental ill health.
A study by the Policy Institute at King’s College London for the Centre for Homelessness Impact found that that family finding reduces the risk of homelessness by 10%.
Research by the University of Sussex found that for every £1 spent on the programme, £3.47 in local authority costs is avoided.
Under the reforms, social workers and local authorities will be supported to place relationships at the centre of decision-making. This includes support for reunification where safe, and expanded use of Family Network Support Packages.
