The experience of school for children in care and care leavers – co-produced video

Young People in Care from Strong Island Media on Vimeo.

Why?

Some children and young people felt afraid to go to school because of being bullied. They also felt they were treated differently because they were in care.

What?

The participation worker and virtual school from Isle of Wight and Hampshire worked with some young people, who were not the usual group who engaged with participation activities. The video described the impact of being in care on their education and their experiences in school. The video was written, directed and filmed by the young people.

“It wasn’t the kids destined to go to university … we’re talking about those wouldn’t normally have a voice, and certainly would feel quite disenfranchised. But the way that they engaged in that activity was really brilliant…. The young people also spoke at a head teacher’s conference where they talked about the
process of making the video.” (Participation Worker)

This work was done to represent the views of disengaged young people to capture their specific perspective and not the view of children in care in Hampshire generally.

Impact

The film was used in schools and seen by the corporate parenting board. It engaged young people who previously had been reluctant to work with the participation team. The young people were supported to attend a head teachers conference to talk about the film.

It was a way of working with young people to tell some of their stories.

Virtual Deputy Head Teacher

I wish someone would explain why I am in care

Staines J and Selwyn J (2020) “I wish someone would explain why I am in care”: The impact of children and young people’s lack of understanding of why they are in out-of-home care on their well-being and felt security Child & Family Social Work. 25(S1):97–106

Coram BAAF

Having a good understanding of one’s origins and history is known to be significant in identity development. Drawing on a large-scale online survey of looked after children’s subjective well-being, this paper demonstrates that a significant number of children and young people (age 4–18 years) did not fully understand the reasons for their entry to care. The paper explores the effect of this lack of knowledge on children’s well-being and on their feelings of being settled in their current placement.

The study reiterates the need for professionals to be honest and open with children in out-of-home care and the need to specifically address, perhaps repeatedly, why a child is not living with their birth family.

I wish someone would explain why I am in care

Read the full article

Feeling safe and settled where you live

Why?

Bromley’s Your Life Beyond Care survey findings showed that about a third of care leavers (30%) did not always feel safe at home and nearly 2 in 5 (39%) did not always feel settled where they lived.

What?

The Change for Care leavers group (CfCL) group reviewed the survey findings and selected their key priorities for action. One of these was ‘feeling safe and settled’. Care leavers worked together to think about why the issue was important, suggest some initial ideas about what the council could do to help and what the care leaver group could do.

 

Their ideas included:

More help before care leavers are responsible for their own property

When young people have their new homes, workers should visit more regularly until they are settled

Property checks before the young person moves in

The group helped organise a dissemination meeting with key partners to discuss the findings and their initial ideas. Young people co-hosted the event (there were 2 young people per table to chair the discussion). There was good attendance and engagement from across Bromley.

As a result of the work the council has been working on the following:

Keyworkers have been attending accommodation viewings with young people

Considering neighbours and neighbourhood when identifying housing for care leavers

Care leavers have been given training to inspect accommodation providers with the Placement Officer

Floating support has been extended to young people

Children in care council has raised funding to start a house warming gift project

Empowering foster carers to offer support and advice when young people move on

Delivered MyBNK workshops to care leavers to improve financial literacy

Providing food parcels and play packs for young parents during lockdown

Impact

The Bright Spots findings provided an evidence base for extending services and a platform to engage key partners. It was an important opportunity for young people to shape service delivery. The first surveys took place in 2018- 2019 – Bromley have committed to doing them again in 2020-2021 to see if there have been improvements in how their young people are feeling in the areas that were targeted for action. One of the priorities for the care leavers group remains ensuring the Bright Spots finding continue to be heard. They continue to meet the Head of Service to discuss progress on the action plan.