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Overview

This programme supports work to help ensure that the legal and institutional framework is best adapted to meet the needs of children and families. Grants in this areas are considered by a separate specialist Committee, whose members include academics in law, psychiatry and social work research, and practitioners in law, social work and relevant voluntary organisations. The Committee is interested in a broad range of topics that go beyond child protection in a narrow sense, and in practical developments as well as research.
Particular interests include (but are not limited to):

• interdisciplinary work in family law, including other Government policies with implications for families;
  
• children at risk or in need, including 'looked after' children but also a much broader range of children who might benefit from support;
  
• broader provision for children in need, for instance the education of looked after children (considered jointly with the Foundation's Education programme);
  
• placement and planning for children, including adoption (special guidelines are available in this area and can be downloaded here);
  
• contact following separation or divorce, including the movement of children and child abduction;
  
• legal and financial aspects of divorce or separation (following marriage or cohabitation) and their aftermath;
  
• risk management that affects children.

Where a proposal is for a research study, the Committee is interested in the dispassionate examination of evidence. It notes that evidence is likely to be different in different cases, for different types of children and families, and is more likely to support work that takes this approach.

Applications are subject to the general Foundation exclusions

Please note

In all its areas of interest the Foundation is interested in supporting work that has an international comparative dimension and is particularly interested in fostering work that considers European perspectives.

The Foundation does not make grants for the running costs of voluntary bodies but will consider making a contribution to voluntary sector overheads on funded projects.

Last Updated Thu, 24 July 2008