Category: News

23 Mar 20

Coram Voice has unfortunately had to take the difficult decision to postpone our Voices 2020 writing competition for children in care and care leavers, due to the Coronavirus outbreak in the UK. The event was due to happen  in London on 8 April 2020.

The health of everyone who was set to come along to the event is our first priority. With people traveling in from all over the country, we also had to consider any potential problems with travel and hotel accommodation that may happen in the coming weeks. We therefore felt it was the  right decision to postpone now and hold the event later in the year.

We are working with our event host and our sponsors to confirm a new date and will let everyone know as soon as we have more details.

19 Mar 20

We want to reassure you that our services for children and young people will continue to run, despite the Coronavirus outbreak. Please continue to contact us in the usual ways.

Always Heard

If you are in care or a care leaver and need support from an Advocate, Always Heard, our advocacy helpline, Always Heard will continue to run as usual.

The line is open Monday to Friday 9.30am–6pm and Saturday 10am–4pm.

Freephone: 0808 800 5792.

WhatsApp: +44 (0)7758 670369

Text: 07758 670369

Email: help@coramvoice.org.uk

Advocates

Advocates can continue to support you by using phone, video calls and WhatsApp.

We are continuing to visit children’s homes where this is possible and where not have staff phoning in to provide advocacy support.

We have also been working with local authorities to trial ways we can continue to provide advocacy for children in child protection conferences and some of our advocates are now supporting remotely through video calls.   

Independent Visitors

Independent Visors continue to work and are finding unique new ways to reach their matches during lockdown.

This includes making the most of phone and videos calls. One of our Independent Visitors brought her match a theory driving book so she can test them over a video call, in order to help them to pass their theory test. While another Independent Visitor and his match practice the guitar over a video call and also do drawing classes.

A National Voice

A National Voice has started an online community on Twitter using the hashtag #ANationalVoice.

We will be talking about the things that are important to children and young people and encouraging debate around people’s experiences with the care system, changes you would like to see and ways Coram Voice can better support you.

We will also be providing links to useful resources and sharing events, activities and opportunities happening at a local and national level.

Useful links

We know this is a very worrying time for everyone. You will find some really useful information about the Coronavirus and how to keep yourself safe and well at Become and also Article 39.

04 Mar 20

Coram Voice programme Bright Spots, have today (4 March 2020) released a new insight paper looking at how stigma around care affects children in care and care leavers. 

Developed in partnership with the Rees Centre at the University of Oxford, the paper shows that being singled out, being stereotyped and treated differently is an on-going issue for both children in care and care leavers.

As part of the research, children in care and care leavers told us that they feel that adults often do things that make them feel embarrassed about being in care. They described how the behaviours and actions of their social workers, teachers and others who support them can make them feel singled out and reinforce the stigma associated with care experience.

Among the findings where:

• About 1 in 8 young people in care (12%) aged 11-18 years felt adults did things which made them ‘feel embarrassed about being in care’.
• Although most young people did not report being made to feel embarrassed, the rates who did varied from 6% to 25% in local authorities. 
• 1 in 10 care leavers felt that, as a care leaver, they have been treated worse than other young people.

The Bright Spots prgoramme works to support local authorities to systematically listen to their children in care and care leavers about the things that are important to them.This paper follows on from Bright Spots ‘Your Life Your Care and Your Life Beyond Care‘ surveys, where local authorities have been hearing from children and young people about the issues they face.

Dr. Claire Baker, Senior Practice Advisor of Bright Spots says: “Through the research and work with local authorities, we have found some great initiatives working with children and young people to change their experience of stigma.”  

Full stigma insight paper

 

03 Mar 20

Coram Voice has today announced management consultancy Cadence Innova as the headline sponsor for its Voices 2020 awards ceremony this April.

Now in its fifth year, Voices is the national creative writing competition for children in care and young care leavers, providing them with a platform to express their creative talents and to celebrate their voices.

This year’s competition, which closed on 12 February, has seen a record number of entries, and 24 shortlisted young writers will be invited to the awards ceremony in London on 8 April, hosted by actor and former Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi.

Cadence Innova first supported the competition in 2019, and alongside sponsorship of the event, its staff members will volunteer to help with the competition shortlisting process. The organisation has also supported the creation of ‘AdvoCat’, a new animation launched by Coram Voice which is aimed at encouraging young children in care to access advocacy to help them express their views when decisions are made about their lives. Staff at Cadence Innova are also fundraising to support Coram throughout the year and engaging their clients with the charity’s work.

Brigid Robinson, Managing Director of Coram Voice, said: “We are proud to welcome Cadence Innova as our headline sponsor in what looks set to be another fantastic year for Voices.

“We are hugely grateful for Cadence Innova’s generous support and dedication to the competition. This enables us to provide a special and memorable experience for the young people taking part, celebrating their talents and allowing them to share their stories with wider audiences.”

Gita Singham-Willis, Founding Partner at Cadence Innova, said: “We are delighted to sponsor this great event for a second year running. The Voices Awards champion children’s creativity and development, and we are proud to be a part of this inspiring competition.”

The theme for Voices 2020 is ‘Dreams’ and the winners across four age categories – Primary, Lower Secondary, Upper Secondary and Care Leavers – will be announced at the awards ceremony on 8 April 2020.

Find out more about Voices.

Speaking at a Parliamentary Reception to mark the 30th anniversary of the UNCRC yesterday (the 2^nd of March) the Children’s Minister Vicky Ford announced that the Government will consult on a revised set of the National Advocacy Standards for Children’s Advocacy.  She publicly thanked the Advocates 4U strategy group of which Coram Voice was a member for their work on this and paid tribute to John Kemmis former Coram Voice CEO.

Brigid Robinson, Managing Director for Coram Voice said, “We are delighted with this announcement. The current advocacy standards, which Coram Voice played a pivotal role in developing, were published in 2002 and the world has changed since then. 

“Both myself, and advocates from Coram Voice, have supported the development of new standards, led by the Advocates 4U Campaign. 

“These will build on the previous standards to further champion the rights of children and young people ensuring they get the services they need and deserve.  As chair of the National Children’s Advocacy Consortium this announcement is welcomed by the sector and provides a unique opportunity to ensure that advocacy services to children are robust, consistent and ensure that children know their rights and their voices are heard.”