A report last year from the Children’s Commissioner for England indicated that of the more than 80,000 children in care, 37 per cent have been separated from a sibling.
Children often express strong wishes to spend time with their siblings in different permanence arrangements and there is significant evidence showing that sibling contact is associated with positive wellbeing outcomes for children, including identity formation and overall mental health.
However, the issue of sibling contact is not given prominence enough in care planning reports and assessments, and there is a lack of infrastructure to support sibling relationships.
To address this, Coram’s Activity Day team devised the concept of ‘Sibling Time’ – a fun, supportive, therapeutic and safe environment for children who are looked after or adopted to have meaningful contact with their siblings.
Coram delivered a pilot event with Leicestershire County Council in August 2023 and 10 children and young people attended.
The three-hour session was facilitated by a range of professionals including social workers and play specialists.
The focus of the session was child-led free play with supported activities, as well as a group activity at the end of the session, bringing together children, parents, carers and professionals.
Parents and carers were also offered training around various topics such as supporting sibling contact and ‘life story’ work.
There were some emotional moments as siblings who hadn’t seen each other for years had the chance to reconnect.
An evaluation of Sibling Time found that children enjoyed the session and were keen to see their siblings again.
The professionals who attended hadn’t previously facilitated sibling contact, but subsequently felt more confident to do so.
Parents and carers also felt reassured by the supportive setting and presence of professionals, which helped to manage potentially complex family dynamics.
Giving children in care an opportunity to have a positive and meaningful relationship with their siblings delivers many benefits and needs to become a central part of our social care culture.
To find out more about Sibling Time, please email [email protected]
To find out more about Sibling Time, please email [email protected]