CFAB warmly welcomes the passing of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 and recognises it as a significant step forward in strengthening protections, rights and outcomes for children and families.

The Act strongly aligns with CFAB’s long‑standing strategy to promote children’s wellbeing by keeping families at the centre of decision‑making, reducing unnecessary separation, and ensuring that care systems work with – not against – family networks, including across borders.

Embedding family-led decision making

CFAB is particularly encouraged by the embedding of Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) within the statutory framework. For many years, CFAB has championed family‑led approaches that elevate the voices of children and their families and recognise families as active partners rather than passive recipients of services.

FGDM reflects the principles that underpin CFAB’s work: early intervention, shared responsibility and culturally informed, strengths‑based practice. Placing FGDM on a statutory footing reinforces the importance of involving wider family networks in decision‑making, especially in complex safeguarding and care planning situations across borders.

We are excited by the opportunity this creates to see consistent, high-quality family‑led practice embedded across local systems and to support practitioners to work confidently and lawfully with families in the UK and overseas. CFAB is working on adding to our cultural library, which you can find on our resource page, and guidance for best practice of FGDM.

Recognition of kinship care in law

CFAB also strongly welcomes the formal legal recognition of kinship care within the Act. This acknowledgement reflects what families, practitioners, and children have long known – that kinship carers play a vital and often under‑recognised role in providing safe, loving, and stable care for children who cannot remain with their parents.

This recognition is particularly significant for us at CFAB as our work involves identifying, assessing and supporting kinship placements across borders. It brings greater visibility, legitimacy and protection to kinship care arrangements and provides a stronger foundation for ensuring kinship carers receive the recognition, support and guidance they need.

Looking ahead

This legislation represents an important opportunity to shift culture and practice towards collaborative and family‑inclusive approaches to decision making. CFAB remains committed to supporting this transformation and to ensuring that children’s wellbeing, family connections and rights remain at the heart of policy and practice.