Why?
The Bright Spots survey findings found that that young people were being bullied in school and experiencing stigma because of being in care. The Children in Care
council chose these areas as priority for action.
What did they do?
The young people wrote and made an animated interactive video to be used in school assemblies.
The participation worker described the process:
“There are two little characters that introduce themselves and say all the things they are, and then right at the end they say also, “I’m in care ….” They do some myth busting and the characters take them through the myths and say what it’s really like. There’s going to be a little pack that goes with that so that schools can do displays to reinforce the messages. The graphics are sort of quite funky and accessible, so it’ll be junior all the way through secondary. I think the points are simple but hard hitting.”
The pack includes ‘Top tips for teachers’ such as having an agreement on how foster carers will be referred to in school.
Impact
Making the film has improved the confidence of those involved in making the video. The virtual school funded the work and supported the young people making the film. Improved communication and closer working between the virtual school and Children’s Services led to more offered from the virtual school such as offering young people access to a writers in residence workshop.