Today at 3pm we watched Anne Longfield OBE talk about her vision for a better care system for children ahead of the upcoming care review.
Over a thousand people logged in to watch, a reflection of the interest in the much-needed reform, debate and changing of the care system so that it better helps the children in it. Featured speaker Lemn OBE, started the presentation with an important reminder, this is not just a meeting agenda topic but a child and young person’s everyday life.
Anne detailed her 7 key points that need to be addressed in the upcoming care review with a particular focus on changing the system so that it fundamentally empowers children but also increases the amount of consistent workers within a young person’s life. This included foster parents who are trained to a high standard who can meet the needs of children and young people who have suffered severe trauma. Training like ours that is rooted in therapeutic parenting, we believe that support for foster parents is key to providing sustainable, supportive environments to children and young people.
A highlight for the team at Changing Futures Fostering was hearing from the panel of young people currently in care. Sophia Hall referred to the panel as highly knowledgeable consultants in the field of social care; an excellent, empowering and accurate term. They discussed themes of the care system that they wanted addressing such as more individualised care and better stability in their social workers.
What was key from the meeting is that not only is there big changes to be made in the care system but that now more than ever care experienced young people are keen to be part of these changes. Children and young people living in care are sick of being treated as a risk to be managed instead of rather a life to lead.
To hear from care experienced young people and their views you can head over to Sophia Hall’s YouTube channel and also the podcast IMO.
