Care News: Care experience celebrated as 80 councils pass protected characteristic motion

Cambridge City Council has become the 80th council to recognise care experience as a protected characteristic as care-experienced young people across the world were celebrated on Care Day 2024.

Care Day is one of the world’s biggest celebrations of children in care, with charity Become leading the initiative in England and sharing messages from young people to challenge stereotypes.

Katharine Sacks-Jones, chief executive of Become, said: “On Care Day we’re putting our hands up for care-experienced young people, to challenge common misconceptions and – especially in the year of an election – call on the public and MPs to show they care.”

The work of young people across the UK has been celebrated in the week leading up to Care Day (16 February), including children working with Foster Wales who collaborated with former Children’s Laureate Wales,’ Connor Allen, to create a piece of poetry sharing their life experiences and educate the public about the reality of fostering.

Elsewhere, awareness is being raised as Become, in partnership with Young Hackney’s Children in Care Council, invited MPs to a screening of its film ‘Gone Too Far’, which highlights the realities of young people in care being moved far away from their friends and family.

Local authorities and professionals across the country are supporting Care Day on X, using #CareDay.

Meanwhile, Cambridge City Council has become the 80th council to recognise care-experience as a protected characteristic. This makes it the first three-tier local government to do so, with the city, county and combined authority of Cambridge and Peterborough passing the motion.

Councillor Bryony Goodliffe, Cambridgeshire County Council children's portfolio holder, said: “Care experienced people are often hidden and we need to make sure they are seen. I look forward to working with Cambridge City Council to ensure that in Cambridge and Cambridgeshire we value care experienced people and work together to ensure that their best possible future is achieved.

“At Cambridgeshire County Council we have been working with the care leaver local offer to develop national guidance to support public sector organisations to incorporate care experience into equality impact assessments. We look forward to sharing this with all councils and organisations as we work together.”

Source:
www.cypnow.co.uk

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