Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has roused the ire of foster care charities by suggesting that “every single day” children are stuck in the care system waiting for adoption “is a further delay to a life full of love and stability”.
She made the claim when announcing proposed changes to adoption legislation earlier this week.
Two charities focused on foster care – the Adolescent and Children’s Trust (Tact) and the self-explanatory Fostering Network – have both expressed unhappiness with the remark, saying it implied that children in foster did not receive love and stability from their carers.
Tact Chief Executive Andy Elvin declared:
“I am at a loss to understand why the minister couldn’t just announce this without decrying other care options for vulnerable children.”
He called on Morgan to “immediately apologise” for the comment. The government engaged in constant criticism of fostering, he claimed, both direct and implied.
Meanwhile, Kevin Williams of the Fostering Network accused the government of promoting a “hierarchy of care”.
He said:
“The government is consistently promoting the message that adoption is the gold standard of permanence despite the lack of research into adoption outcomes.”
[…] Source: Education Secretary must ‘apologise for foster care slur’ […]