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Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 5h

This #KinshipCareWeek, we’re revisiting the Kinship Care Practice Guide, which translates evidence on what works into clear, actionable recommendations to improve how services for #KinshipFamilies are commissioned, designed & delivered 🌟

Read now 👉 foundations.org.uk/toolkit/prac...

Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 7h

We're hiring 💼 We're looking for a Finance Business Partner to help us ensure accurate financial reporting, manage invoicing cycles, oversee treasury and insurance operations, & provide hands-on financial support.

Closes: 12am, Sunday 26 October

Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 2d

This week is #KinshipCareWeek, an opportunity to shine a light on the vital role of #KinshipCarers & the difference they make to the lives of children ❤️

Throughout the week, we'll be spotlighting our evidence on support for kinship carers, as well as the gaps in what we know 🔎

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Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 9d

3️⃣ We need to continue to fill gaps in the evidence. To improve understanding of how best to keep children safe, we'll soon be publishing findings from evaluations of recovery programmes for child victims of #DomesticAbuse, with plans to go further to find out what works 🔎

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Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 9d

2️⃣ It's vital that we think local. We need to bridge the gap between research and reality - mobilising evidence in a way that recognises local circumstances, needs, and expertise 🤝

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Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 9d

1️⃣ To deliver change for vulnerable children, we need to keep evidence use at the heart of decision making. We've seen the difference this can make in our work on #FamilyGroupConferences, with our landmark evidence informing the Children's Wellbeing & Schools Bill 📄

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Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 9d

🗣️ Our Deputy Chief Exec @donnamolloy.bsky.social is speaking now at our #Lab25 event - w/ Josh MacAlister MP, @annafeuchtwang.bsky.social, @lisaharker.bsky.social, Cllr Liz Parsons, & Jo Casebourne - setting out 3 ways to make transformation of children's services a reality 👇

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An image of the panel at our Labour Party Conference event. Panelists from left to right: Cllr Liz Parsons, Donna Molloy, Josh MacAlister MP, Dr Jo Casebourne, Lisa Harker & Anna Feuchtwang.

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Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 9d

🗨️ "At Foundations our role is to ensure that these targeted services are evidence-based, and improve outcomes for the most vulnerable children – and the hard work is just getting started" – Dr Jo Casebourne

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Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 9d

Vulnerable children need targeted services that deliver outcomes for them, so that they are and feel safer, have positive emotional wellbeing & are supported by their family networks – that's where Best Start Family Hubs come in 👩‍👩‍👦

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Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 9d

On Education Sec Bridget Phillipson's ambition for children to be given the tools & opportunities to thrive: 🗨️ "Only when we start to shift the dial on outcomes for vulnerable children will we be able to truly say we’re making headway on the Opportunity Mission." – Dr Jo Casebourne

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Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 9d

This is also about reducing inequality. 🗨️ "By supporting parenting in families facing risks or disadvantage, we can narrow gaps in child development, ensuring every child—regardless of background—has the same chance to thrive." – Dr Jo Casebourne

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Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 9d

Children learn how to communicate, manage emotions, solve problems, and build relationships first and foremost at home 🏠 Early parenting support reduces the need for costly interventions later, saving resources and protecting children from harm.

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Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 9d

Schools & childcare settings have an undeniable role in the Best Start in Life programme, but it is vital to remember that these settings can't improve outcomes on their own.🗨️ "Schools educate, but parents shape the conditions that make learning possible." – Dr Jo Casebourne

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Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 9d

Watch ▶️ Our #Lab25 event 'Inside & outside the school gates', w/ @ippr.org & @csjthinktank.bsky.social: tinyurl.com/ymk6mk5p

Our Chief Exec Jo Casebourne was with @georgiagould.bsky.social, @sarahsmithlab.bsky.social, Ed Davies & @avneem.bsky.social, on giving children the best start in life 🌟

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An image of a panel discussion. Sat on stage are (left to right): Dr Jo Casebourne, Sarah Smith MP, Avnee Morjaria, Georgia Gould MP & Ed Davies.

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Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 12d

Schools Minister Georgia_Gould and Opportunity Mission Champion sarahsmithlab will join us at #Lab25, to explore how schools and children and family services can work in tandem to support children to have the best start in life.

foundations.org.uk/news-and-eve...

Promotional graphic for a Labour Party Conference 2025 event titled “Inside and Outside the School Gates: How Can We Give All Children the Best Start in Life?”. The event is scheduled for Monday 29 September, 10:45–11:45, in Education Area 3, Museum of Liverpool. Five speakers are shown in circular photos with names and titles: Avnee Morjaria (Associate Director for Public Services, IPPR, Chair), Georgia Gould MP (Minister for School Standards), Sarah Smith MP (National Opportunity Mission Champion), Dr Jo Casebourne (Chief Executive, Foundations), and Ed Davies (Research Director, Centre for Social Justice). Logos of Foundations, IPPR, and CSJ are displayed at the bottom. Background is blue with white text.

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Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 14d

✨ How do we give every child the best start in life? We’ll discuss this & more with @bphillipsonMP on Sunday evening at #Lab25, with our partners at @CfYoungLives.

Join us for a fireside chat followed by a drinks reception and speeches from @NDIronsMP, @JoshDeanMP & more 👉 t.co/SI8cq8iQJA

Promotional graphic for an event titled “Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life: In Conversation with Bridget Phillipson MP” at the Labour Party Conference 2025. Event details: Sunday 28 September, 19:00–21:15, The Beatles Story Museum. Featured speakers include Dr Jo Casebourne, Chief Executive of Foundations; Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, Secretary of State for Education; and Baroness Anne Longfield, Executive Chair of the Centre for Young Lives. The background is orange with headshots of the three speakers in circular frames. Logos for Foundations and the Centre for Young Lives appear at the bottom.

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Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 14d

We've published our Impact Report for 2024-2025 🎉

The report highlights the progress we're making in putting evidence into action to support children & families & explains how we're embedding lived experience in our work & decision-making.

Read now 👉 foundations.org.uk/about-us/imp...

Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 15d

On Sunday afternoon, we open with a session in partnership with @nesta_uk where we’ll be joined by Liv Bailey, the new Early Education Minister, to explore how we can give families better access to quality parenting support that helps children to thrive.

Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 15d

On Tuesday, we round off #Lab25 with a reception hosted by Luciana Berger, and in partnership with Youth Futures Foundation, @homelessimpact and TASO, to unpack the PM’s conference speech and explore how knowing ‘what works’ is essential for a mission-driven government.

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Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 15d

On Monday afternoon, we’ll be joined by new Children’s Minister Josh MacAlister as we examine the latest children’s social care reforms & investment and ask how we can turn this momentum into better outcomes for children and families.

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Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 15d

On Monday morning, we’re partnering with @IPPR and @csjthinktank, and will be joined by Opportunity Mission Champion Sarah Smith, to discuss how we can bridge the gap between the education system and family services to ensure all children get the best start in life.

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Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 15d

On Sunday evening, we’re thrilled to be hosting a fireside chat with Education Secretary @bphillipsonMP, where she’ll speak with @AnneLongfield about her first year in office, her vision for children & young people, and her ambitions for the future.

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Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 15d

On Sunday afternoon, we open with a session in partnership with @nesta_uk where we’ll be joined by Liv Bailey, the new Early Education Minister, to explore how we can give families better access to quality parenting support that helps children to thrive.

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Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · 15d

This weekend, we’re heading to Liverpool for #Lab25, where we’ll be hosting sessions on children's social care, parenting & family support, and the importance of evidence-based policy and practice for children and families.

Here’s what we’re up to 👇 foundations.org.uk/foundations-...

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Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families @foundationsww.bsky.social · Sep 5

Our study indicates that #KinshipCare mediation has the potential to reduce conflict, improve communication & help families reach more stable arrangements.

💬 @wearecoram.bsky.social's Hannah Lawrence on the significance of this work

Read now 👉 foundations.org.uk/our-work/pub...

"Kinship families often face complex relationships and high levels of stress, particularly when tensions arise between kinship carers and birth parents. This study is a first step in establishing an evidence base for mediation for kinship families as an intervention that could reduce conflict, improve communication and support joint decision-making focused on the child’s best interests. With further development, this kind of approach could become a valuable part of the support available to kinship families across England." Hannah Lawrence, Senior Research Manager at Coram Centre for Impact