In May this year, Tom* met more than 35 members of his family - many of whom he'd never seen before.
The orphaned 12-year-old who lives with foster carers helped plan the gathering and decided who to invite as part of the Lifelong Links project aimed at strengthening support networks for looked-after children.
Before Tom embarked on the process, children's services were aware of just eight members of his extended family but afterwards more than 80 living relatives had been identified.
He is now meeting up with some who live locally and is invited to family get-togethers as well as staying in touch with others by phone.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
