We believe that all children in the care system should have safe and loving homes and receive care where they live until at least age 18. You can play a vital role in speaking up for the rights of children in care. Send a letter to your local MP asking them to advocate for a care system where all children are cared for in just a few minutes by visiting: https://secure.togethertrust.org.uk/care A split care system Between 2009 and 2019, the percentage of young people living in careless (also known as semi-independent) settings increased by 210%. Last year, the government banned children aged 15 and under from living in careless settings. This ban has not been extended to 16- and 17-year-olds, despite 34 children dying while living in these places over the last six year period. The care system is split in two. Children aged 15 and below are entitled to regulated care, while children aged 16 and 17 are not. We believe all children in care deserve the same love, stability and safety a family would provide. Safeguarding risks & dilution of children’s rights The prevailing rationale for careless accommodation is that some children are ‘ready for independence’ at a young age. Yet we know of children living in a bedsit who should be living in foster care or children’s residential care, because it’s the only available placement in their area. In careless settings, children can live in a shared environment with adults without staff present – this is a major safeguarding risk. Despite the ban, children under the age of 16 are occasionally placed in careless settings. Recently a local Council illegally sent a 13 year old boy to live in a static caravan 200 miles from family (Mirror, 2023). Based on our research, over 3,200 16- and 17-year-olds living in careless settings were not in education, employment, or training (NEET) between 2019 and 2020. Marie’s experience Back in 2021, Marie spoke to us about her time in unregulated accommodation before moving to the Together Trust. “I was in and out of emergency placements because they couldn’t find anywhere for me, so my social worker took me to a caravan, which was called a crisis placement. She said I would be there for 28 days, but I was there for 12 weeks and 3 days. The whole time I didn’t see any of my friends. I didn’t go to school. I didn’t see anyone. I faced pressure from the local authority to move into semi-independent accommodation when I was coming up to my 17th birthday. This was in the middle of the pandemic and at a time when I didn’t have a support network. I knew I wasn’t ready and thankfully the staff at Together Trust supported me to challenge it. We’re taken off our parents and we're supposed to be cared for but it feels like they’re avoiding that responsibility when they try to put us in unregulated accommodation. It’s like they think we can just fend for ourselves and it’s not right. Moving into a flat on your own at 16 or 17 when you don’t know anything about living on your own can be really hard. Especially if you don’t have anyone you can turn to for help.” Source: www.togethertrust.org.uk/ Background In February 2023, the Department for Education (DfE) published its consultation, Stable Homes Built on Love, seeking views on their ideas for reform of the children's social care system. You can read our full response here. Recently, the DfE has published its response to the consultation, including how it listened to stakeholders in its proposed changes to the children’s social care system. You can read the government’s response here. This blog looks at what is set to change and to what extent our suggestions for policy improvement were heard by the government. No immediate legislative changes The first thing to note is that the government is not bringing forward any immediate legislative change following the consultation. We recommended the full incorporation of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into domestic law to raise the profile of children’s rights in the UK and promote their voice in decision-making processes. However, the government did not mention the UNCRC in their response, suggesting that this is still out of reach for now. We also asked the government to amend the Homelessness (Priority Need for Accommodation) (England) Order 2002 to promote care leavers having priority status in housing. Some progress on this is likely, as the DfE will be taking forward legislative reform to remove the local connection requirement for care leavers seeking to access social housing but a timeline has not yet been specified. Insufficient funding Josh MacAlister, the Chair of the Review of Children’s Social Care, suggested a £2.6 bn investment over five years to stabilise the current system and kickstart his programme of reform. However, with the government currently spending more than £10 billion every year on maintaining the system we already have, we were among many organisations who highlighted that this would likely be insufficient. ‘This is a conservative estimate considering the need that lay before us." - Ian Mearns Labour MP (House of Commons, 2023) Despite this, the government decided to stick to the £200m investment it had promised over the reform’s first phase (2 years). This figure represents less than 1% of the total budget that the government allocates to children’s social care every year despite promises to enact some of the large-scale reforms suggested by the Review. Poverty The government did not respond to our ask about focusing on mitigating the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on those who are most vulnerable or consider the impact of raising universal credit income to lower relative child poverty rates. Care leavers The government increased the amount available for the care leavers’ allowance from £2,000 to £3,000 and is boosting the care leavers’ apprenticeship bursary from £1,000 to £3,000. These are positive steps, but the cash injection does not go far enough to level the playing field between care leavers and their peers - many of whom continue to be supported by their parents far into adulthood. Staying close We asked for a national commitment to stop children being placed miles from home when it is not in their best interests, and for young people who have lived in residential care to routinely have the option to ‘Stay Close’ and maintain connections with their former home until at least age 25 Over the next 18 months, the government will continue to explore how they can best develop and enhance the currently funded Staying Close programme (residential care), Staying Put (foster care) and work to end rough sleeping. Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Some local authorities have been selected to receive a share of £30 million in over the next three years to trial targeted short breaks support. We know from our work with parents and carers of children with SEND that short breaks offer a lifeline and play a preventative role in children being taken into care. We hope to see the scheme rolled out across more local authorities after the initial three-year trial. We asked the government to conduct research on how care experience and SEND interact when children are transitioning from school into training, internships or workfor example. This was not covered in their response. Semi-independent accommodation We asked for the introduction of a Caring Homes Improvement Plan, which should outline when the semi-independent standards and inspection regime will be phased out and replaced by the unequivocal entitlement of care for children until age 18. Interestingly, the government’s response said that: “During the consultation period, we heard from a wide range of professionals and sector leaders on the importance of ensuring residential care is focused on helping and supporting young people to thrive, and that care regulations reflect this. However, we also heard concerns about standardisation for anything other than the most basic care expectations. We heard that standards of care for residential care need to be broad and flexible, to meet the individual needs of children and young people.” It remains unclear then whether the new Ofsted inspection and regulation regime is here to stay, and whether children living in semi-independent accommodation will be included in the development of any new care standards for residential care. Mental health We want to see mental health support assessments happening early to minimise the escalation of needs. This was not specifically addressed in the government’s response. Regional Care Co-operatives (RCCs) We raised concern through the Alliance for Children in Care and Care Leavers that the RCC model may not be the right one to address issues faced by the children’s social care system. The government plans to develop RCCs on a staged basis. They have recently opened the applications for local authorities to set up RCCs. Commissioning We suggested that the government incorporates the commissioning solutions proposed by Children England, but these solutions are still yet to be acknowledged. Specifically, we asked for the introduction of:
Data collection We asked the government to ensure the regular collection of data on children not in education while living in care and facilitate data-sharing arrangements for children in care and care leavers (particularly those with SEND or additional health needs). Instead, the government stated in general terms that RCCs will establish specialist data capabilities to analyse local authority data across the region to better understand children’s needs and demand across the area. Foster care The National Minimum Allowance for Foster Carers has been raised by 12.43%, and there will soon be an increase in the income tax relief available to foster carers. However, we know that this increase will not benefit all foster carers and is unlikely on its own to improve their retention. Research by Ofsted in 2022 found that one in eight fostering households quit, with the cost of living crisis hitting them particularlg hard. The government is developing a Foster Care recruitment and retention programme with local authorities in the North East which is something we asked for. However, whether or not the scheme will improve recruitment and retention will depend upon the details, which are not currently publicly available. Kinship carers We asked the government to provide adequate training and financial help for kinship carers and family members who step up for children to prevent them from entering care. By the end of 2023, the government will introduce a financial allowance for kinship carers with SGOs and CAOs in every local authority. By 2024, they will launch a national kinship training, information, and advice service. Corporate parenting responsibilities We asked for a details of how the government intends to applycorporate parenting principles in practice, asthe government has committed to adaptingprimary legislation to embed an extension of corporate parenting responsibility when parliamentary time allows. In Autumn 2023, the government will conduct a pre-legislation consultation to agree on implementing corporate parent responsibilities and identify accountability arrangements. Our concerns The government’s financial position indicates that children’s social care is not prioritised in their agenda, and there is not the level of investment made which is needed to mitigate the negative impacts of increased rates of child poverty and the cost-of-living crisis, which have a disproportionate impact on children in care. Next steps The DfE is running a consultation which seeks views on national standards and statutory guidance for the Provision of Children’s Advocacy Services. The consultation's deadline is 18 December, and we plan on responding to it with our suggestions for improvement. Source: www.togethertrust.org.uk/ Member News from Together Trust: Magical evening at Etihad Stadium for the 2023 Achievement Awards12/9/2023
By Martina Milkova This summer, 130 children and young people from across the Together Trust’s services were celebrated at one of our favourite events: the annual Together Trust Achievement Awards. Hosted at Manchester City FC’s stadium, Manchester’s iconic Etihad, we celebrated the achievements of the young people we support across five categories: Life Skills and Independence, Communication and Social Skills, Participation, Educational Achievement, and Health, Fitness and Wellbeing. Additionally, a special Manchester City Football Club prize was awarded this year by Pete Bradshaw, Director of Sustainability at the football club, to a young person who had demonstrated the qualities of being kind, honest, respectful, and supportive in any activity in the last 12 months. The winners were nominated by the Together Trust staff, who spend hours with the children and young people each week, helping them reach their full potential. “It was lovely to see everyone come together to celebrate everyone’s achievements," shared a staff member from our residential service Pocket Nook. “The boys at Pocket Nook enjoyed their time, especially with the mascots and at the photo booth!” Among the 300 guests was Stacey Whiteway, mum of six-year-old Alfie, a pupil from Inscape House School who received an award for Participation. She shared: “I have been overwhelmed with how wonderful the evening is. I think it’s truly inspirational to see all the awards being given out to all children, and I think they’re all just incredible. It’s been a magical evening." “Alfie joined Inscape House in May, so he’s not been there for too long. It was a bit of a struggle to get him to take part in any activities at first. Now he’s getting involved, we found it overwhelming for him to be given an award for participation!” shares Stacey. “The best thing was getting this [pointing at the medal] and playing with my friend Olivia”, answers Alfie, when asked about his favourite part of the ceremony.
“The Achievement Awards night is a highlight of the Together Trust social calendar. As ever, this year did not disappoint! So many children, staff, families, and friends enjoyed a super, well-organised, fun and inspiring event. My favourite bits were the excellent acts by the young people. Charles Han’s singing and dancing to Jungle Book will forever be remembered.” – Kelly Hall, Principal Manager As well as parents, carers and staff members, we were delighted to have in the audience Councillor Gina Reynolds, Ceremonial Mayor of the City of Salford and Councillor Neil Reynolds, Consort to the Ceremonial Mayor. “It was delightful to see how everyone interacted on the night, they all looked amazing and very smart. This year lots of the parents joined in at the event, some being involved in presenting the awards to their children. The faces of our young people said it all. And not to forget all the hard work and dedication from the staff teams!” - Tracy Downing, Principal Manager Source: https://www.togethertrust.org.uk Location: Cheadle/ Hybrid Working Salary: £37,454.00 Hours: 37.5 hours per week Closing Date: 29 June 23:59
Our vision is a society where people thrive because they are valued within their communities. We champion the rights of children, young people and adults across the North West. Every year, we deliver life-changing care, support and education to thousands of people so they can lead the happy, fulfilled lives they deserve. Main Responsibilities As part of our team you will:
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Working for Together Trust Every day is different at Together Trust, and you’ll be empowering people to live the best life possible. Plus, you’ll be supported by an understanding team and a charity that values and cares for you. For more information about the benefits we offer, please go to www.togethertrust.org.uk/join-us Find out more about what it's like working with us: We're a Real Living Wage employer Together Trust has committed to paying all staff a significantly higher wage than the government minimum. By officially registering as a Living Wage employer, we are showing our commitment to our employees, now and in the future. Apply now! If you think you might have the relevant skills and experience we’re looking for, please get in touch jobs@togethertrust.org.uk or apply now. We may remove this vacancy prior to the expiry date if a suitable candidate is found therefore early applications are encouraged. We welcome applications from those with a right to work in the UK. We do not currently sponsor overseas staff. Shortlisting will take place throughout the duration of the advert. Benefits
Full details and application documents here Every child is unique, special and equally entitled to our respect, care and protection, no matter who they are, where they were born or how they came to be in a particular part of the UK. The Children Act 1989 is the legal foundation for protecting all children in England and Wales equally. Removing any group of children from any of its provisions profoundly undermines it, and creates an unacceptable segregation between those children who are entitled to the full care, support and protection of children’s legislation and other children who have been placed outside of it. To remove rights for some children is to deny the intrinsic rights of all children. Through the Illegal Migration Bill the Home Secretary plans to seek a range of powers in respect of unaccompanied children which gravely concern us, including powers to directly accommodate them on arrival and subsequently transfer them. This legal change would leave some of the world’s most vulnerable children outside of the very system designed to give children in their circumstances a home, safety, recovery from their trauma and support to reach their unique potential. As children’s organisations we disagree in principle with this prospect, out of profound concern for the children it would affect, and for the long term implications of undermining the universality of protection provided by the Children Act 1989, and the UK’s fulfilment of its international obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The practice of the Home Office putting unaccompanied children in hotels, from which hundreds are disappearing, must stop. Attempting to set it on more solid footing through legislation runs counter to the Government’s commitment to end the use of hotels and will only worsen and prolong the huge child protection failure already unfolding. Many of us have warned since 2021 against this dangerous temporary measure, recognising that the real solution is to invest in local authorities so that they can fulfil their duties to these children under the Children Act. Two years later, hundreds of children have gone missing from Home Office-run hotels, and over 200 remain untraceable. The Home Office has not only failed to ensure children have the health, education and legal support that a corporate parent is required to provide [1], but it has lost many of the children in its 'care' and appears unwilling to take responsibility for finding them [2]. We will resist any attempt to formalise such practices and we are united in urging that the Government instead focuses on ending the use of hotels altogether, finding the missing children, and resourcing councils properly to provide the standards of care and protection to which every child is entitled. Signed: Sir Peter Wanless, CEO, NSPCC Lynn Perry MBE, CEO, Barnardo’s Mark Russell, CEO, The Children’s Society Anna Feuchtwang, CEO, National Children’s Bureau Paul Carberry, CEO, Action for Children Dr Carol Homden CBE, Group CEO, Coram Patricia Durr, CEO, ECPAT UK Kathy Evans, CEO, Children England Carolyne Willow, Director, Article 39 Louise King, Director, CRAE (part of Just for Kids Law) Kamena Dorling, Chair, Refugee and Migrant Children’s Consortium Signatories from 28.02.23 Lauren Seager-Smith, CEO, Kidscape Lee Dema, Project Manager, St Matthew’s Project Mark Lee, Chief Executive, The Together Trust Justin Humphreys, CEO, thirtyone:eight Andy Elvin, CEO, TACT Martin Auton-Lloyd, CEO, Family Support Work Robyn Kemp, Chair, Social Pedagogy Professional Association Richard Hammond, CEO, The Separated Child Foundation David Holmes CBE, CEO, Family Action Katharine Sacks-Jones, CEO, Become Leigh Elliott, CEO, Children North East Sheila Taylor MBE, CEO, NWG Kate Wareham, Children and Young People Director, Catch 22 Brigid Robinson, Managing Director, Coram Voice Rita Waters, Group Chief Executive, NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service) Cathy Ashley OBE, CEO, Family Rights Group Footnotes [1] An inspection of the use of hotels for housing unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) March - May 2022 by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration [2] Hansard, Commons debate 24th January 2023 Source: www.togethertrust.org.uk Our foster carers come in all shapes and sizes. One thing unites them - they all provide a safe space for young people to grow. We speak to Lee and Leigh - a couple who have fostered children with the Together Trust for the last two years to hear about their experience of fostering as a same-sex couple. When did you first think about becoming foster carers? It’s something I’d thought about for a while, then one day, I saw the Together Trust’s Fostering advert on Facebook and enquired. Actually, I enquired before telling Lee! That was certainly some interesting news for him to get home to. In all honesty, it was the kick we needed to go for it. We had wanted kids and fostering seemed like a great option for us as a couple. How many children have you fostered? We’ve looked after two children in total and have one with us at the moment. Both placements have been around the same age, so we’ve had them living with us as they have moved from primary to secondary school. Could you describe your experience of being foster carers? There have certainly been a lot of highs as well as some lows. It would be a lie to say there aren’t challenges that you have to overcome, but there have been so many great memories created: whether that’s trips out to theme parks or just the three of us getting on together at home. The girl we have with us at the moment is at the age where she much prefers being in her room on the Xbox rather than hanging out with us. That’s no bad thing though, as long as she is happy living here with us! Have you received support from the Together Trust fostering team? We’ve had so much support from the Together Trust team over the last couple of years. When our first placement was getting challenging, Louise and Lisa from the Together Trust provided a lot of support for us, especially because Lee and I both work full-time. Whether it was getting in touch with an outreach worker or a call with one of them on the phone, it was a huge help. We became big friends with the duty number. We used to call regularly for help and advice and the fact that there was someone available even at 11 or 12 o’clock at night was a massive reassurance, especially as we are both first-time carers. Everyone you talk to knows your situation and what’s been happening, so the support really is tailored to us as a couple. What was the process of becoming foster carers like?
After we first saw the advert and enquired, we had a chat with the Together Trust Fostering Team so they could find out more about us and why we were looking to foster. When we applied it was during the Covid pandemic, so a lot of the process was done online. We showed the team around our house and the bedroom where the child would be staying, and basically just got across that we were suitable to be foster carers. You get put on a ‘Skills to Foster’ course and complete other bits of training, then there are a few stages that you have to pass. The whole process feels like a chat with a friend. It was never daunting and the people we spoke to all of us at ease. Have you had much contact with other foster carers? We meet other carers through the training sessions and support sessions on Zoom. There are usually two or three sessions a year where you can share experiences and tips. We were also matched with a foster buddy: a lady who had been fostering for 10 years and who we could get in touch with to ask for advice, which was great. We’ve also taken the girl who is with us at the moment on the fostering holiday, which was great fun and a chance to meet other carers and families. It’s so beneficial meeting other foster carers to share advice and talk through any concerns you might have. There is always someone who has been through a similar situation. How did the people around you (friends and family) react to you becoming foster carers? Everyone has been supportive since we told them that we were thinking of becoming carers. They can see the difference that can be made to young people if they are in the right environment. There are certain things that you don’t always think about or can take for granted. Both the children we've cared for had never used a self-check-out at the supermarket, for example, so it’s great to be able to give them these life experiences so that everyday things start to become normal. Do you think there are still stigmas around LGBTQ+ couples and individuals becoming foster carers? Honestly, this was something that really concerned me when we started fostering - whether there would be any reluctance from the children or their families because we are a gay couple. What helped us was being put in touch with another gay couple who had been fostering with the Together Trust for a while. We were able to have an open and honest chat with them and talk about any struggles they had experienced. It really put our minds at ease. In the end, we haven’t experienced any stigma at all, both children we have looked after have told us that the fact that we are gay doesn’t matter to them and they have really embraced it. A lot of gay couples and people have experienced hardship in life and built resilience, which I think is a great thing to pass on to the children we are caring for. We have experiences that can help young people if they have questions or need advice. It’s a great feeling to be helping someone and setting them up for their life ahead. Would you recommend becoming a foster carer? I would definitely recommend it! It’s giving a child a chance that they may otherwise not be given. It’s not always easy, and there are of course lots of ups and downs, but it’s so rewarding when you can make a difference in a child’s life. Source: www.togethertrust.org.uk In November 2022, Marie, one of the care leavers supported by the Together Trust, took part in a policy event for care leavers in Glasgow. The Care Leavers Association ran the event in partnership with Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare Forum (STAF) and International Foster Care Organisation. It brought together care leavers from Scotland and England to discuss policy and practice issues, with the aim of setting priorities for policy makers. Care Leavers from both countries worked together to explore the differences and similarities of the leaving care experience. Hayley, a Senior Residential Social Care Worker at Crosskeys, one of the Together Trust’s residential services where the young lady was cared for, shared: “Marie and I felt humbled to be given the opportunity to attend. We met different people from varying backgrounds who shared experiences of moving on from residential and foster provisions. It was nice to meet the people that had been responsible for organising the event and to see how invested they were in this. I have learnt so much during the event which I wasn’t aware of. I can now take some of the information back to the service and implement it.
“Marie had an amazing time and loved the hotel and very comfy bed, which she struggled to get out off! We had the opportunity to look around the city of Glasgow, which was lovely and with it being so close to Christmas, it was full of beautiful lights. “It was also nice catching up with her and hearing some of the things she has accomplished. The whole staff team think very highly of Marie and we’re glad that she continues to stay in touch with us.” The event was a great opportunity for young people to meet each other and learn about both countries. Thank you to the workers from CLA, STAF and IFCO for being so accommodating and for giving us the opportunity to take part in this event. Source: www.togethertrust.org.uk Lucy Croxton Policy, Public Affairs and Campaign Manager 16 January 2023 Today, we have outlined our concerns to the Department for Education about their plans to regulate semi-independent accommodation for 16- and 17-year-olds. You can read our full consultation response here. Below are five reasons why we believe that the new regulation and inspection regime is not a step in the right direction, and why the government should urgently extend existing care standards to cover all children. 1. The new regulations will not protect children’s safety The new regulations fall short of ‘every child having a stable, loving and safe home’. While staff working with children in semi-independent accommodation need DBS checks, what about adults who share a kitchen or living room with a child? The new protection standard says that young people should not feel isolated because of their accommodation or support. No professional working with children would want that. But can staff truly ensure that children living in a bedsit feel a sense of belonging? We don’t think so. It is not possible for the registered person or staff, who are not always physically on-site, to keep children who are living in shared accommodation with vulnerable adult’s safe. It is not a fault of the workforce; it is a fault of the nature of semi-independent accommodation. 2. The regulations are not trauma informed Most children enter care after experiencing either abuse or neglect, experiences which are linked to physical illness, depression and even death. Children who have lived through trauma may demonstrate ‘hyper-independence’ as a response to surviving without help and care from other people. The whole rationale for semi-independent accommodation is that some children are ready for independence at a young age. Children may feel ready for the independence that comes with living alone, but that does not mean it is in their best interest to live without care. We know that there are children living in semi-independent accommodation who should be living in foster care or children’s residential care. Instead, they are living in a bedsit because it’s the only place available. Children who are removed from the care of their parents because of abuse or neglect must not live in accommodation which is, by nature, neglectful. 3. Caravans and barges as emergency accommodation Previously semi-independent accommodation was thought of as accommodation that should only be used in emergencies. Now, there are almost as many children aged 16 and 17 living in semi-independent accommodation as in regulated children’s homes. In the new regulations, it says that caravans and barges, impermanent settings, should only be used in exceptional circumstances. Yet we know the children’s social care system is in crisis. Unless systemic problems are addressed, and more funding is allocated, local authorities will continue to be forced into making decisions which are exceptional daily. The recent recommendations of the review into Children’s Social Care suggest stability and permanency are critical for children where they cannot remain with their families, and according to the Children’s Commissioners Big Ask Survey, one of the most pressing concerns for children in care is a stable and nurturing home. On a practical level, mobile and non-permanent settings cannot possibly meet the quality standards laid down in the new regulations. 4. The new inspection regime is not up to scratch Under the new inspection regime, a small sample of providers' accommodation will be inspected by Ofsted every three years. The likelihood is that there will be accommodation where children live which may not be inspected by the regulator within a ten-year period. The lack of oversight is appalling, given that 29 deaths of 16- and 17-year-olds have occurred within semi-independent accommodation over the last five years. We firmly believe that every setting where a child lives should be inspected to a high standard. 5. There will be unintended consequences Children’s homes which are struggling financially and those who provide poor quality care may be attracted to change their function to provide support instead of care, as the quality standards that providers will need to meet are less comprehensive. Already, local authorities have limited options about where to place a child. Increasingly, deprivation of liberty orders is being made on the basis that there are no suitable homes available for children with complex needs. This desperate situation means that decisions are already being taken which are not in accordance with a child’s best interest. Implementing this regime will do nothing to change this situation. The impact of this on the broken care ‘market’ will be a relative surplus of semi-independent accommodation in contrast to the scarcity of regulated, caring settings. The oversupply of semi-independent accommodation will make it cheaper for local authorities to commission, and the scarcity of regulated placements will make them overall the more expensive choice. If funding for local authorities does not increase to a level at which they are able to commission the right type of care for a child, rather than the cheapest support available, we are concerned that semi-independent accommodation will become the default choice for children in care. The alternative There is a real alternative to the new regulatory regime. The government could ensure that the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015 covers all children living in residential care settings. They could make a commitment to phase out the use of semi-independent accommodation, mindful of the recommendation made in the Care Review that “all children should receive care where they live by 2025”. They could invest the initial £145 million cost of the new regulatory and inspection regime into helping providers of semi-independent accommodation register and drive up their standards to that which amounts to care, not support. Source: https://www.togethertrust.org.uk Styliana Pasiardi Campaigns and Advocacy Officer The government’s new proposals on semi-independent accommodation legitimises its use for 16 and 17-year-olds in care. Instead, children will receive ‘support’, a watered down right. In its consultation on the new proposals, the government refers to 16 and 17-year-olds as ‘young people’. I believe this establishes division between children who are under 16, and those aged 16 and 17. In law, the word child refers to anybody who is under the age of 18. We know that children’s mental health, overall, has worsened throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. In April last year, the government outlined its intention to create a 10-year mental health strategy which does appear to have moved forward since. The mental health of children is of paramount importance. In this article below, I explore the potential impact of the semi-independent accommodation proposals on the mental health of children aged 16 and 17 who are in care. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and complex trauma Mental health, domestic abuse, and neglect are examples of ACEs which underpin why a children may enter the children’s social care system. These factors can lead to complex trauma, negatively affecting health and well-being. Any child who enters the care system has experienced separation from birth parents, which can give rise to feelings of abandonment. Research by the former Children’s Commissioner shows that children living in semi-independent accommodation are more likely to be sexually exploited, go missing from home, or be criminally exploited by gangs, than their peers. Considering the complex needs that can arise from these distressing events, I find it absurd that the government thinks it is appropriate for children under 18 to live in places which can only offer ‘support’ instead of ‘care’. No definition of ‘complex needs’ Within the new proposals, the government says it does not expect that supported accommodation would be appropriate for children with complex needs. This statement is questionable for different reasons, which I explain below. In the consultation, the government does not define ‘complex needs’ nor the way that placing authorities should determine this, leaving it open to their discretion. This omission risks children with complex needs being moved into semi-independent provisions regardless of the government’s intention. Soft language Within the proposals, it says that ‘where a young person has complex needs …we do not expect that supported accommodation would be appropriate’. The word ‘expect’ denotes a suggestion and does not require placing authorities to refuse to move children with complex needs into semi-independent provision. Inadequate access to early intervention The Health and Social Care Committee found that 1.5 million children under 18 will need new or additional mental health support after the pandemic (Eshalomi, 2022). Meanwhile, children’s charities found that government funding for children’s services was cut by 24% (Centre for Mental Health, 2022). During the pandemic, delayed needs identification occurred due to reduced contact with professionals. This delay led to more complex referrals than usual (Ofsted, 2022). The government’s proposals are rushed without considering this evidence, which shows a disregard for children’s complex needs. How will the government ensure that children in care have early access to mental health support? Due to the current delays in mental health services for children, it is questionable whether a child’s mental health needs will even be assessed before they are moved to semi-independent accommodation. Almost one third of children living in semi-independent accommodation were moved there within a week of entering care (GOV, 2021). Lack of placements There are many young people with complex needs in semi-independent or unregistered accommodation because of the lack of secure placements across the country. Many children in the social-care system experience placement breakdowns, negatively affecting their mental and physical health (Homes, 2022). As stated by the president of the Associate Directors for Children’s Services (ADCS), it is now becoming "increasingly common for councils to seek a deprivation of liberty order" because of a shortage of regulated places. However, I am afraid that by legitimising semi-independent accommodation, more children will end up living in places that do not meet their needs and experience placement breakdowns - damaging their overall well-being. Cliff edge at 16? Currently, the care cliff sees young people losing out on support when they turn 18, now the new legislation opens the doors for a cliff edge at 16. An online survey for children in care (aged 16 and over) and care leavers showed that they often felt rushed into leaving care and had to move with only a few weeks’ notice. Can the government guarantee that children in semi-independent accommodation will not face the same situation? Or that with the shortage of regulated placements, a child turning 16 will not be encouraged into semi-independent accommodation? Cost of living crisis The ongoing cost of living crisis is making people choose between heating and food. One story tells of how a young mother aged 20 in supported accommodation is having to cut back on fruit due to the current crisis (Harle, 2022). If a 20-year-old is struggling to manage, how is the government expecting 16 and 17-year-olds to manage, especially during such an adverse time? My closing thoughts The new proposals discriminate against children based on their age and lower the threshold from ‘care’ to ‘support’, disregarding the complex needs of children. Instead of pursuing those proposals, the government should focus on providing substantial funding to cover the aforementioned cut in children’s services, and the current demand for mental health needs. All children in care are entitled to ‘care’; it is unacceptable and unfair that the government wants to legitimise a two-tier system based on age. This is the first article in a four part series about unregulated accommodation and the government's ongoing consultation. You can read the first part of the series here. Contact the author at styliana.pasiardi@togethertrust.org.uk Source: Lucy Croxton Policy, Public Affairs and Campaign Manager Every year, one in four children entering the care system is aged 16 or 17. The reasons they are in care are complex and varied, but the majority have experienced either neglect or abuse in their home. The government says that young people would do best in foster care or residential care, but some, it claims, are ready for the independence that comes with either living alone in a bedsit or living in a shared environment with adults. These placements are known as semi-independent or unregulated accommodation. In unregulated accommodation, according to the government, children should not be cared for, instead they should be supported into independence... however, all children in care should by law be supported with their transition to independence through pathway planning. According to the law, the principles which should underpin a transition are:
Once thought of as an exceptional or emergency placement, the growth of unregulated accommodation has spiraled out of control. Between 2009 and 2019 the number of children living in these placements increased by 210%. Is it possible that in the period of ten years, there has been such a significant increase in the number of children whose best interests it is to live in a place without care? Or is it more likely that other factors, such as the shortage of regulated care placements, and the cost of providing high quality care, have become more significant considerations for the government? The situation is a crisis. Now, there are almost as many 16- and 17-year-olds living in unregulated settings as there are living in regulated children’s homes.
Since 2022, the government has banned children aged 15 and under being placed in unregulated accommodation. Yet without justification, the ban has not been extended to 16- and 17-year-olds, despite 29 children dying while living in unregulated settings over the last five-year period. In a House of Lord’s debate last week, Lord Invergowrie called it a ‘scandal’. Addressing the chamber, he said “is it the best we can do for 16- and 17-year-olds who are in the care of the State, to put them in a bedsit on their own, or pay for them to live in a property with adult strangers?” Watch Lord Watson in the Lords Children's Social Care debate on 7 December Yet the government is not only allowing this to happen, as a bystander might watch a tragedy unfolding. It is legalising (and normalising) the use of unregulated accommodation through new standards and guidance which it published last week, alongside a consultation that runs throughout the Christmas period. Why is it doing it? It says, because unregulated accommodation is right for some (it says). Right for who? To some the new regulatory regime represents a ‘step in the right direction’. At least, they say, 16- and 17-year-olds will now live in a place where there are four quality standards (in comparison to the nine which exist for regulated children’s homes). At least, there will be regular Ofsted inspections (though Ofsted will not visit every setting where a child lives and will instead conduct ‘provider level inspections’ every three years, in comparison to twice yearly visits of regulated children’s homes). At least, children will only live in caravans and barges in exceptional circumstances (though these placements have never before been explicitly permitted explicitly). At least, there will be workforce and safeguarding standards similar to those in regulated children’s homes, with managers and staff needing DBS checks (though children living in unregulated accommodation may share a home with vulnerable adults, who do not appear to need the same checks). Is this good enough? There is not a single parent I know who would feel reassured of their child’s welfare by visiting a bedsit down the road from the one their child lives in every three years. There is not a single parent I know who would wish for their child to have less rights than other children. There is not a single parent I know who would consider these living standards as ‘right’ for their child, regardless of their child’s level of independence. Source: www.togethertrust.org.uk |
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