To receive an update on the progress of implementing the Pledge and the youth engagement, Children in Care Council’s (CICCs), My Voice and The Circle.

(Note:  a representative from the Children in Care Council has been invited for this item.)

Bethany Dallow, Care Experienced Young Person provided feedback on behalf of herself and other care experienced young people, who had provided feedback through the Children in Care Council on the Cared for Pledge as set out in the revised presentation.  86% had not heard of the Pledge and 14% did not know what it was.  44% of Council staff had heard about the Pledge. This highlighted the need for more communications, more training and better engagement to raise awareness and embed any revised Pledge.  The main priorities of the Pledge were:

·                     Honesty – it was felt that young people get lied to a lot, people tell them things will change and promise to do things but do not follow through.  We should not promise to do things unless we can 100% follow through.  Young people should be told the truth and information where appropriate given their age.  If young people were to trust the Pledge they need to be sure that they were listened to and being prioritised.  It was not fair to be told one thing and something else happens.

·                     Safety – this was created through a nurtured space where young people were more likely to open up and engage.  Done in a space that was welcoming and comforting.  There was a risk that without trust and safety young people would not want to open up with social workers or other responsible adults when something goes wrong.

·                     Support on young people’s terms – do not organise meetings without consulting the young person.  Cared for and care experience young people have no control over themselves, they feel that someone else owns them, a stranger who was available 9 am to 5 pm.  They need to feel that they have control over themselves as children and adults.  Support givers need to recognise that there were times when a young person does not want to receive support.  It should be person centred care and not one size fits all.  Lots of young people have a history that they would not want known about them before they meet a social worker.  They want to tell their story themselves and want to be asked about it themselves.

The following was identified by young people on how to raise awareness of the Pledge:

·                     they would rather be informed about the Pledge from a trusted person – social worker, teacher, parent, carer; and

·                     they would rather be told about it through school by teachers and the Pledge should be posted on community boards or be given out as flyers as schools.

Participation Officers, Sarah Evans and Alex Diviney attended the meeting and helped respond to questions.

Members discussed the feedback from the 7 members of the Council in Care Council.  It was noted that they represented older children with the youngest being 11 years old.  They highlighted a real need for mutual respect. 

It was noted that the original Pledge had been written by cared for and care experienced young people with the intention of it being given out to children when they came into care, but that the needs of young people changes very quickly.  It was intended to show the Council what the young people wanted from us, as we want to know how we can be the best for them.  It was acknowledged that there was a need whenever staff come into the Council that their role as a corporate parent is included in their induction as every officer in the Council is a corporate parent.  An example was given of a report from North Tyneside where every person in the Council and some agencies had their responsibility as a corporate parent added to their job description.

Members were disappointed that the Pledge was not more widely known and recognised the need for a review and refresh of the Pledge to make it work for the young people.  Wider communication and roll out would be needed to embed the revised Pledge and enable the Council to monitor its impact.

It was also acknowledged that there was a need to make the Pledge meaningful to people and not just a piece of paper, it would mean something different to every child and young person.  The key part going forward as part of the implementation was how we make the Pledge and social contract (consider rewording from promise, following feedback) turn into reality for the children and young people.

Resolved (unanimously):

1.         that Beth Dallow be thanked for attending the meeting and sharing her views and the views of other care experienced young people on the review of Our Promise to You - The Torbay Pledge to cared for and care experienced children/young people and that Beth be welcome to attend future meetings;

2.         that Councillor Twelves as Strand Lead for Participation meet with Beth Dallow and other young people to help understand their views and champion this through the Corporate Parenting Board;

3.         that the revised Our Promise to You - The Torbay Pledge to cared for and care experienced children/young people be presented to a future meeting of the Board so that Members can be assured that it has been updated to reflect the views of young people and how it will be communicated and rolled out; and

4.         that in light of the importance of the role the Director of Corporate Services be requested to include responsibility as Corporate Parents in all staff job descriptions and as part of their annual appraisal to demonstrate what staff are doing to support our cared for and care experience young people.