Maura Jackson of Backup North West to give a TEDx Talk

Maura Jackson, known for her inspirational role as CEO of Backup North West, will giving her talk next February in Wigan.

Maura, who is used to speaking about subjects like leadership and homelessness, will be speaking about an even more heartfelt issue – kinship fostering.

She became a kinship carer – when a family member or friend becomes a child’s foster carer – for her grandchildren years ago.

Maura wants to highlight the struggles of being a kinship foster carer, in particular when it comes to the legal and child protection side of things, where she says they have little rights.

Maura said: “I’ve done different keynote speeches and what have you in the past, and TEDx is a thing to aspire to, being rooted in sharing ideas and a message, not just you going on about your business or project.

“I kept thinking I would love to do a TED Talk, but didn’t know what my message would be.”

Maura then decided upon the topic of ‘Invisible but Invincible’, exploring the lack of status of kinship foster carers despite them “upholding the child protection system”, based on her own experiences.

She said: “Grandparents and other relatives who are kinship foster carers are very much excluded from the legal side of child protection. You are not invited to court proceedings.

“That in itself is really frustrating, and quite difficult to manage really. I felt really excluded, but when the children need anything, there is no consultation, they just give you instructions.

“You have to go to meetings, there is no negotiation, you either be there or you don’t know what is going on with your own children.

“My message is: grandparents or whichever relatives who are kinship foster carers need to have elevated status in the child protection system.”

Maura makes the point that, with over 140,000 children in kinship care across England and Wales, their carers are “propping up” the system.

For more information on the TEDx conference, which is organised by Gemma Holgate of Maddison House Press, follow this link: https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/63308

She added: “A lot do it for free, and even the ones who are paid get less than foster carers, and are a damn sight cheaper than children’s homes.

“It is terrible. When the children first moved in, I had to use every bit of my leadership ability in dealing with the courts and system.

“I thought God help the people who are not as articulate as me, or question the way things are or won’t push for support. I have worked in this system for 20 years, but being on the other side is horrible.

“The people doing it are important, you are saving children’s lives, keep doing it.”