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1. A hobby horse of mine, but 'careleavers" are still often viewed as best represented by articulate professional (usually young) adults, often graduates, who have emerged from care to do well professionally, often in a health or social care profession. I was one of these too >
2. "Care" is usually viewed as foster care, particularly as most young people in care are fostered, with a nod of recognition that perhaps the less fortunate may be in children's homes. Representation of children in care on councils, etc tends to come from those in foster care>
3. Sometimes using children in foster care locally to represent children in care happens for practical reasons given these kids are not placed miles from home & are often the most willing to engage with professionals.The others often remain silent & unheard>
4. On this day when @article_39 raise the awful plight of children being held in mental health institutions & the shocking care so many receive, I will share my oft repeated (& equally often ignored) view & make my plea once more>
5. "Children in care" aren't all in foster care, or even foster care & children's homes. Many are in residential schools, health care settings for people living with physical of mental health issues, adoptive care, kinship care, unregulated care settings, custody, on the street >
6. "Children in care" must not be simply defined by statute, regulation or convention as being in care, but must include all children being cared for, managed or controlled by other people away from their parental home for a whole range of reasons. Children are children.>
7. When was the last time consultation about care included children placed in all of these settings? The next time will be the first time I suggest. We merely scratch the surface, usually the nearest, least threatening, most cooperative face of this massive diversity of children>
8. And "careleavers" are too often seen as represented by those who have successfully coped in care & gone on to achieve degrees & visible success.They ( & I include me in that) are seen as somehow representative & able to speak on behalf of all care experienced folk. We can't>
9. As the promised care review becomes more "imminent", however much of a stage managed circus it turns out to be under this administration, I hope it takes into account one thing when it considers consulting & engaging the care experienced community >
10. The Care experienced community is massively diverse. It includes people under 10yrs of age & over 80. It includes people of all heritages, colours, sexual orientations, social standing, intellectual capacity, achievement & political opinion >
11. The care experienced community includes children in all care settings, including those managed by health & mental health authorities. It includes those in secure care, those in unregulated settings & those with adopter & family members. We must listen to them too >
http://13.Care experienced adults are of all ages over 18. Those in ordinary jobs or unemployed, those with degrees & those without, those in professions & trades, those who cope easily with life & those who struggle, those who can give support & those who need it.>
14. With an estimated over 1/2 million care experienced people in the UK, most may be hard to reach. They're ordinary people like you & me. When the imminent care review happens, let's hope it engages the wisdom of this care experienced community. All of it. It will be a first
