We need to act now to support Kinship Carers

For years prior my sister had struggled with complex mental health needs and unaddressed childhood trauma which she coped with forming an unhealthy addiction to misusing substances. I felt saddened that my sister was invisible to the professionals and the judgements placed on her due to historical circumstances meant that social services already had made up their mind to seek an adoption placement for my niece.  

At the time I was supporting my sister and supported her to form a contact agreement with social services to allow her to have contact with her daughter during on-going court proceedings. I was shocked and dismayed that our first contact visit took place in an office room in the council building. My family and I immediately raised this to social services, as we felt that it was inhumane. We asked to take the visit downstairs in the library, a more appropriate environment to encourage bonding and quality time with baby and mother.