In July, Robert Glover and the Care for Children team hosted Mr Narek Mkrtchyan, the Armenian Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, during his first visit to London. The four-day visit comprised various events and meetings organized by Care for Children to introduce the Minister to the UK social welfare system.
The week started with a think tank session at the Centre for Social Justice. This was an excellent opportunity to share ideas and information related to family placement and child welfare, setting a positive tone for the rest of the week.
The following day, Minister Mkrtchyan met with influential figures in British social work and child welfare policy, Baroness Barran, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the School System and Student Finance, and Lord Laming, a British social worker and member of the House of Lords. The day included lunch hosted by Lord Laming at the House of Commons, during which the Minister gained valuable insights into the British social care system. The day concluded with a meeting with Edward Timpson, Member of Parliament for Eddisbury in Cheshire and former Minister of State for Children and Families, who shared his childhood experiences of living within a large family of fostered children.
The penultimate day featured the much-anticipated signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Kensington Palace, attended by Care for Children’s royal patron, His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent, who spoke passionately about his connection to Care for Children. This MoU between Care for Children and the Armenian government signals the start of an initial three-year project, which will commence with a regional family placement conference in the Armenian capital Yerevan in September.
On the final day of the Minister's visit, the group visited Southwark Council to meet with social work staff and foster parents, offering an important perspective on the realities of foster care and family placement within the UK.
Care for Children is extremely excited at the prospect of developing this relationship with the Armenian government further over the next three years. Stay tuned for further updates!
