Emmerdale star Jay Kontzle has recently opened up about his personal experiences in a heartfelt social media post, calling for support for kinship families. Jay, who has portrayed Billy Fletcher on the ITV soap since 2018, used his platform on Instagram to urge his fans to back a campaign initiated by the charity Kinship. The campaign seeks to garner support from MP candidates ahead of the general election in July, advocating for kinship families who play a crucial role in caring for children when their parents are unable to do so.
In his post, Jay shared a touching story about his own childhood, revealing that he was raised by his grandparents after his mother passed away when he was only four years old. He explained that a kinship family consists of relatives or close family friends who step in to raise children when their parents are unable to care for them. This type of care is currently provided to approximately 141,000 children in England and Wales, which is more than twice the number of children in foster care. Despite this significant number, kinship families receive minimal support compared to foster carers.
Jay emphasized the sacrifices his grandparents made to provide him with a loving home and highlighted the challenges that many kinship families face. He noted that many kinship families are struggling without adequate support, putting thousands of children at risk of entering the formal care system. The Kinship charity’s campaign, #ValueOurLove, is therefore crucial in addressing these issues by urging politicians to commit to supporting kinship families.
The general election presents a unique opportunity for the public to demand changes to a system that currently neglects the needs of vulnerable children and their carers. Jay concluded his message by encouraging people to join the campaign and support kinship families by adding their names to the petition linked in his bio. This call to action aims to ensure that kinship carers receive the necessary support to continue providing stable and loving homes for children in need.