29 Apr 21
Coram Voice have today (29 April 2021) launched our new online Bright Spots Resource Bank – showcasing examples of how local authorities are making life better for children in care and care leavers.
The Bright Spots Resource Bank includes examples of how local authorities (LAs) have used the Bright Spots findings to improve the well-being of children in care and care leavers. It also shows practice examples from local authorities where the surveys found children and young people were doing better than average. It includes ideas such as running a fashion show to promote positive body image in Sheffield and setting up a five-a-side football team to combat loneliness in East Riding.
This week also saw the launch of University of Oxford’s Evaluation of the Bright Spots Programme, explored how local authorities had used the findings from the Bright Spots surveys to improve the lives of the children they look after.
Examples of policy and practice changes
- The Bright Spots evaluation found that local authority staff were able to identify policy and practice changes that had resulted either directly or indirectly from their involvement in the Bright Spots Programme.
- Some changes were small and easy to implement (e.g. North Somerset changed the language used by professionals to be more child focused) whereas others were bigger and strategic (Isle of Wight involved care leavers in commissioning new supported living accommodation).
- The participation workers and the Children in Council were often at the heart of considering the survey findings and setting the priorities for action.
Sharing learning
We will continue to add to and improve the Bright Spots Resource Bank over the coming year.
You can get involved by:
- Getting in touch to share and showcase what you have been doing to improve children in care and care leavers’ well-being.
- Take some time to browse the Bright Spots Resource Bank and read the Evaluation of the Bright Spots Programme for practice ideas that you could adapt to improve children and young people’s well-being. (e.g. Sheffield’s The Assembly Squad 2020:school resources to tackle stigma).
Find out more
To find out more about the benefits and challenges of participating in the Bright Spots programme and read other examples of how local authorities have made changes:
- Read the Evaluation of the Bright Spots Programme
- Explore the Bright Spots Resource Bank