Andrew R

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will make it mandatory for local authorities to offer families the opportunity to come up with solutions for their children’s welfare.

Find out how we can help your local authority to do it right.

👉 frg.org.uk/training-con...

📢 Ofsted visit to @sandwellcouncil.bsky.social children’s services highlights benefits of FGCs.

FGCs are making a real difference in places like Sandwell but the offer is inconsistent across the country.

Let’s make FGCs a national standard, not a postcode lottery.

Learn more: ow.ly/vh5V50Wxm7v

a picture of a boy and a monster with the word elio on the bottom ALT: a picture of a boy and a monster with the word elio on the bottom

Went to see Elio today. A story about a young man in kinship care, feeling isolated on a search to find a sense of belonging. Amazing film! Love the aliens too!!

✈️ Lifelong Links goes international!

We’re excited to share a glimpse from a recent trip to Oslo, where @cathyashley.bsky.social and @pamledward.bsky.social alongside FGC service manager Nicky Pallis, presented Lifelong Links to Norwegian sector leaders.

#LifelongLinks #BuildNotBreak #Norway #Oslo

We’re pleased to be working with @foundationsww.bsky.social and @wearecoram.bsky.social on this important research project exploring how Family Group Conferences (FGCs) are offered to families in England.
The newly published rapid evidence review is the first step in this vital work.

🌟 It’s #CarersWeek2025

Sharon is a kinship carer raising her grandchildren. In this blog, she opens up about the emotional and financial sacrifices she’s made, to provide a stable and loving home for her grandchildren.

Read it here: ow.ly/G02w50W6TYn

Today, the Government announced the #SpendingReview.

FRG welcomes the commitment to investing in a children’s social care system where families get help early before their problems escalate. The need for urgent action is clear.

Our full response: frg.org.uk/news-blogs-a...

Reform UK hosted 15 year old boys at Weatherspoons pub in Folkestone this weekend. Bought them chips and drinks.

There is a very targeted ongoing campaign to enroll youth into their party.

Quote from reform councillor saying they’re going to focus on cutting budgets of children’s social care

In relation to cutting budgets, new Reform UK councillor in Kent said the focus will be on children and adults social care and SEN. Only 6 of the 57 have any political experience. MAGA hats were being worn at the polling stations. This is not going to be good.

Taking the long view on family-group decision-making - CYP Now Tackling the serious challenges facing children and young people can feel overwhelming, and conversations about what we can do about it can feel like they go round in circles.

In a new blog for Children & Young People Now, FRG Chief Exec @cathyashley.bsky.social and @childrenfirst.bsky.social Chief Exec @margl24.bsky.social tell us to take a step back and reimagine how we support children and families in need.

Read the full blog here: www.cypnow.co.uk/content/blog...

New private law model substantially improves experiences of children and families, say practitioners - Community Care However, pathfinder approach poses resource challenge for Cafcass due to need for upfront investment of social worker time, finds study

www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/04/24/n...

If you’re looking for information or training on family group decision making, go to www.frg.org.uk for all your fgdm needs @familyrightsgp.bsky.social

Slowly but surely we will change the picture.

We are delighted to be working with Foundations, Coram, Daybreak and Data to Insight to improve insight in families' access to FGCs. Our new report reveals that very few local authorities report on the outcomes of FGCs for families. Read more: ow.ly/1qg150Va6hZ

Autistic woman wrongly locked up in mental health hospital for 45 years “Kasibba”, who is non-verbal and had no family to speak for her, was one of hundreds wrongly detained.

200 autistic children and children with learning disabilities are still detained in UK mental health hospitals.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

A mother who called our advice line said: "The lady I spoke with was amazing at explaining why social services had put these things in place. The information she gave me was crucial, to helping me process what had happened and how to make things better." Call us free on 08088010366 Monday to Friday 930am to 3pm, or visit www.frg.org.uk.

📢 Need advice about children’s services? We’re here to help!

If you’re a parent, kinship carer, relative, or friend of a child involved with children’s services in England, our free advice service can support you.

frg.org.uk/get-help-and...

#HelplinesAwarenessDay

This week, in a first for our panel of parents with lived experience of children's social care, they met with Children's Minister @janetdaby.bsky.social.

A "pivotal moment" in @angelafrazerwicks.bsky.social's
words - "from being seen as part of the problem to being seen as part of the solution."

Great webinar on #FamilyGroupDecisionMaking with @familyrightsgp.bsky.social today. Family group conferences are an evidence based decision-making meeting for families when they need it most.

a group of cartoon animals are standing in the snow and one of them says my whole familia ALT: a group of cartoon animals are standing in the snow and one of them says my whole familia

A Family Group Conference is an evidence based way of keeping children with their families.

PS it is also evidenced to save local authority money! Bonus. #familygroupconference #fgdm #familygroupdecisionmaking

🗓️Exclusive online briefing for councillors including lead members for children's services in England. Join us tomorrow to explore the Children’s Wellbeing & Schools Bill and how your local authority can deliver the new mandate to offer family group decision making meetings frg.org.uk/events/counc...

A briefing from Family Rights Group for councillors on family group conferences, Thursday 30th January 12 noon to 1pm. Text over an image of a council chamber.

🗓️Exclusive online briefing for councillors including lead members for children's services in England. Join us next Thursday to explore the Children’s Wellbeing & Schools Bill and how your authority can deliver the new mandate to offer family group decision making meetings. frg.org.uk/events/counc...

‘I can’t sleep, I’m terrified’: the rise in mothers having their babies taken away within days of giving birth in England Charity finds ‘inhumane’ system is forcing women to defend themselves in court, sometimes from their hospital beds, while in fear of having their newborn child taken from them

New analysis by the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory has found nearly 3,000 newborn babies were subject to care proceedings in England in 2022-23-an increase of nearly 20% since 2012-13.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Family courts: 'Watershed moment' as press allowed to report From Monday, journalists can speak to families about ongoing cases and report what they hear in court.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Journalists in UK now allowed to report from family courts

“We don’t have to go to the highest extremes of contempt when we are in a position of disagreement”

Now is a once in a generation opportunity for family group conferences to be a legal right for families in England

Find out more here: frg.org.uk/policy-and-c...

Spread the word.

Beverley is an amazing human being and this is so well deserved. Congratulations 🙌

📢Today, MPs debated the Children’s Wellbeing & Schools Bill – a huge opportunity to reform child welfare!

It includes families having the opportunity to come up with solutions before children enter care & a new local kinship care offer.

Our analysis 👇
frg.org.uk/policy-and-c...

JIUJITSU is the family I needed when my time foster care created traumas that were prevalent in my early adulthood

Hi Bluesky, I'm Ray. The founder of 'One Community Jiujitsu Club'

Hoping to find more cool people on BlueSky 🙏🏽

#Jiujitsu

We’re excited for the @biggive.bsky.social Christmas Challenge 2024!

Starting at noon tomorrow, every donation made during the campaign will be doubled whilst match funds last.

Can you help us provide specialist advice to more families?

donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05...
#GivingTuesday

The quote in picture form

“Don’t let anybody, anybody convince you this is the way the world is and therefore must be. It must be the way it ought to be.”

Toni Morrison

Need Toni Morrison wisdom now more than ever