14 Nov 24
This year at A National Voice’s Amplify event we recognised some of the excellent work being done by children in care councils and care leaver forums in England.
Our Digital Award is for groups that worked on creating digital resources. This year’s winners were Stand up Speak up Young Asylum Seekers, a project from Devon’s Children in Care Council. They worked with Participation Team and NHS colleagues to co-produce a video that gives information and raises awareness about a first hospital visit in Devon – known as an ‘Initial Health Assessment’. Here they tell us more about the difference it has made
On arrival in Devon, young people seeking asylum have an Initial Health Assessment. This is a statutory process, however some young people shared how daunting and intrusive this assessment can feel, especially as many have never experienced a medical examination before. It was decided that a video would be created to lessen these worries and give reassuring visuals.
The group worked together to create a video. The video has now been translated into nine different languages and uploaded on to the Stand Up Speak up YouTube channel. It has been shared with all doctors and nurses in Devon and Plymouth and with the Young Asylum Seekers social worker team for them to share with the young people they are working with. Young people will be able to access it directly as it’s included in a new ‘Welcome to Devon’ guide that is currently being created and co-produced with asylum seekers.
The video ensures that young asylum seekers recently arrived in Devon know what the Initial Health Assessment will involve so that they feel prepared, reassured and able to ask questions if needed.