M

Member

Speaking in the House of Lords on 20 May 2025

Debate

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Contribution

Another evidence-based process, which is the other side of the coin to family group decision-making, is Lifelong Links, an approach based on Family Finding that began in Orange County, California. A child removed from their home, perhaps because of neglect or abuse, and placed with strangers—ideally, if a well-executed family group decision-making process has revealed there is no one in the extended family they can live with—experiences an intensification of what has been an already traumatic experience. Separation from everyone and everything familiar will undermine much of the benefit to them of the network coming together in their interest. A growing body of research shows that children do better when they remain safely connected to their own families and communities, even if they cannot live with them.

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