THE BIG ISSUES
What are the main issues affecting children in care?
Feeling that you belong somewhere and know who you are is important for all of us
This is especially a significant challenge for children in care.
This is especially a significant challenge for children in care.
Contact refers to the ways that children in care keep in touch with siblings, birth parents and other family members while they are in care.
Often, contact is only thought about in terms of supporting children to keep in touch with immediate family, and the importance of retaining contact with wider family members, friends or old carers is not always recognised.
Often, contact is only thought about in terms of supporting children to keep in touch with immediate family, and the importance of retaining contact with wider family members, friends or old carers is not always recognised.
Outcomes for looked after children in education are poorer than their peers, and the gap gets wider as children get older.
Unfortunately, sometimes being in care can have a negative impact on children’s education. Frequent placement and school moves, or being taken out of school regularly for meetings will all impact on a child’s confidence and ability to learn. Traumatic experiences before entry into care can also cause difficulties, which may affect a child’s behaviour, self-esteem or trust in authority figures.
Unfortunately, sometimes being in care can have a negative impact on children’s education. Frequent placement and school moves, or being taken out of school regularly for meetings will all impact on a child’s confidence and ability to learn. Traumatic experiences before entry into care can also cause difficulties, which may affect a child’s behaviour, self-esteem or trust in authority figures.
A high proportion of care leavers are not in employment and training by the age of 19, compared to their non-looked after peers.
This can be for a number of reasons, including a lack of qualifications and not having the self-esteem, support, skills or experience to find a job. Employment can, for some young people, leave them financially worse off than being on benefits, which doesn’t incentivise young people to get into work.
This can be for a number of reasons, including a lack of qualifications and not having the self-esteem, support, skills or experience to find a job. Employment can, for some young people, leave them financially worse off than being on benefits, which doesn’t incentivise young people to get into work.
Living independently requires a care leaver to manage their money, pay their bills on time and live on a budget.
However, due to poor financial education and support prior to and on leaving care, care leavers often find themselves in debt. This can make them much less likely to undertake further study or an apprenticeship. Understanding what bills need to be paid is just as crucial as knowing how to go about paying them. Unfortunately, by the time care leavers receive support they are often already in debt.
However, due to poor financial education and support prior to and on leaving care, care leavers often find themselves in debt. This can make them much less likely to undertake further study or an apprenticeship. Understanding what bills need to be paid is just as crucial as knowing how to go about paying them. Unfortunately, by the time care leavers receive support they are often already in debt.
Many children in care experience poor emotional wellbeing and some experience diagnosable mental health problems.
These can be caused by pre-care experiences or by the impact of being in care. Without appropriate and timely support and treatment, poor mental wellbeing can have a significant impact on future life experiences. Many children will have experienced trauma before they come into care. This may be caused by the effects of abuse and neglect or other pre-care experiences, perhaps as an unaccompanied asylum seeking child, as a result of a disability or the death of a care-giver.
These can be caused by pre-care experiences or by the impact of being in care. Without appropriate and timely support and treatment, poor mental wellbeing can have a significant impact on future life experiences. Many children will have experienced trauma before they come into care. This may be caused by the effects of abuse and neglect or other pre-care experiences, perhaps as an unaccompanied asylum seeking child, as a result of a disability or the death of a care-giver.
Everyone needs somewhere that we call home.
Having the chance to settle into a foster or residential placement over a period of time gives children a feeling of belonging, helping them feel secure in themselves and their identity.
Having the chance to settle into a foster or residential placement over a period of time gives children a feeling of belonging, helping them feel secure in themselves and their identity.
There’s lots of legislation, regulation and guidance that tells children in care and care leavers what rights and entitlements they have because they are, or have been, looked after children.
Some are general promises about what children in care and care leavers can expect from everyone involved in looking after them such as their right to be listened to and have their wishes and feelings taken into account when decisions are made about them. Others are more specific, like a care leaver’s entitlement to a £2,000 Higher Education Bursary.
Some are general promises about what children in care and care leavers can expect from everyone involved in looking after them such as their right to be listened to and have their wishes and feelings taken into account when decisions are made about them. Others are more specific, like a care leaver’s entitlement to a £2,000 Higher Education Bursary.