Labour Manifesto 2017

And we will refocus social care to work
with families in local communities to
prevent children becoming at risk of
going into care.
The government is currently
failing to develop a strategy for
the wholesale improvement of
the care system that delivers for
all, not just those children being
considered for adoption. We will
promote the care and educational
achievement of our most vulnerable
children and increase support for
children in kinship and foster care,
and their families. It is important
that other forms of care, such as
kinship care and fostering, are not
marginalised, as this will not result
in the step-change we need to see
in outcomes for looked after children.
Labour will support further regulation
of commercial fostering agencies,
as well as commissioning a review
on establishing a national
fostering service.
We will extend Staying Put
arrangements to support all
children and young people in
residential and other forms of
care until they are 21.
We will enshrine the European
Convention on the Rights of
the Child into domestic law.
Labour will fund child burial fees for
bereaved parents, ensuring that they
are scrapped in all council areas. We
recognise that some councils have
already made this humane move.
Libraries are vital social assets, valued
by communities across the country.
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