Health assessments trigger necessary support services for looked after children but they are carried out inconsistently across Scotland to the potential detriment of many young people, children’s charity Barnardo’s Scotland said today (Wed March 11).

Health Boards across Scotland were asked under FOI (Freedom of Information) to detail how they approached health assessments for looked after children and care leavers. The results have been published today in a report titled: Care In Mind: Health Assessments for Looked-after Children. It is the second report in a series by Barnardo’s Scotland which examines policies and practices across many different agencies to improve the mental health and wellbeing of looked-after children and care leavers.

The report makes a number of recommendations, including:

• Ensuring that NHS and Scottish Government guidance reference and complement one another, and other policy initiatives such as corporate parenting.
  
• Including greater detail on appropriate models of mental health assessment including the use of chronologies in the national policy framework.
  
• Create a minimum dataset for Health Boards and Local Authorities to create a consistent system for evaluation across Scotland, including recording how a Health Assessment has affected a Child’s Plan
  
• Health Assessments should take place face-to-face with the young person wherever possible and that phone conversations and conversations with carers must be seen as a last resort or complementary to the main assessment.
  
• Scottish Government must introduce a system to collect Scotland-wide data from Health Boards in order to evaluate the national picture on looked-after children’s health and Health Boards’ activity.

David Ferguson, Assistant Director of Policy and Influencing at Barnardo’s Scotland, said:

“We’re proud to be drawing attention to the mental health and wellbeing of looked after children and care leavers, which is too often forgotten among the many struggles that they face.  As the Independent Care Review recently concluded, access to the right services at the right time can make all the difference. Health Assessment for looked after children can be the start of a journey of recovery, and it’s time Scotland’s policy and practice improved.”

Barnardo’s Scotland drew the report together with support from Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport, Monica Lennon. Commenting on the report she said:

“All children deserve to grow up in a loving and nurturing environment – and the Independent Care Review, informed by those with lived experience of care, has outlined a way for that ambition to become a reality for all looked after children in Scotland.

“Worryingly, the findings of this research reveal a huge level of inconsistency and a general lack of data about the health and emotional wellbeing of looked after children. It’s clear we need to see significant improvements to ensure that our commitments to looked after children are delivered.

“I urge Scottish Ministers to act on the findings of the Barnardo’s Scotland report so that improving mental health outcomes for looked after children is made a reality.”

The full report can be read here.

Source:
www.barnardos.org.uk

Barnardo's has joined 26 other organisations working with care-experienced children and young people in England to urge the Government to carry out a review of the care system without delay. 

The group has published an open letter to the Secretary of State, Gavin Williamson MP, calling on the Government to move forward with an independent and meaningful review.

Javed Khan, Barnardo’s Chief Executive, said:

“While many children in the care system have a positive experience, it continues to fail some of the most vulnerable, particularly teenagers and those with complex needs. 

“As a society we must give these children the same opportunities that as parents we give our own children. Today around 36% of care leavers in England aged 17-21 are not in education, employment or training, compared to 12% of this age group overall. This urgently needs to change.

“That’s why we are calling for a root and branch review of the care system, with young people - who are ‘experts by experience’ - at its heart.  It must consider why children are entering care, their experience of fostering and residential provision, right through to what happens when they leave. We look forward to working with the Government to improve the system so that all children in care can achieve a positive future.” 

Source:
www.barnardos.org.uk

He is pledging to fundraise £50,000 for Barnardo’s as part of a new appeal to help support care leavers, the children’s charity announced today.

Lennie, best known for his roles in Line of Duty and The Walking Dead, is becoming Barnardo’s first Ambassador to help represent children who are in and leaving care.

The actor went into care aged 10, along with his older brother, when their mother died. They spent time in a children’s home and were later fostered, growing up in Tooting, South London.

The star, who appeared in movies Snatch and Blade Runner 2049, is currently in the UK filming the second series of smash hit gritty drama series Save Me 2 in South East London. He took time out  today to visit Barnardo’s YouthBuild Academy in Lewisham, where he met care leavers learning construction skills.

This evening Lennie will be talking about his life and explaining the reasons for becoming an Ambassador at an ‘In Conversation With’ event at the Bvlgari Hotel in Knightsbridge.

Barnardo’s is about to launch an ambitious fundraising campaign, aiming to raise funds over the next three years to support young people leaving care. Lennie and his wife Giselle have chosen to support the campaign by setting up their own fund named after Lennie’s birth and foster mums Phyllis and Pam which will aim to raise £50,000 in its first year for Barnardo’s Positive Futures appeal.

Lennie said:

“I’m honoured to become Barnardo’s first Children In and Leaving Care Ambassador. 

“The fear and vulnerability of going into care is etched in my memory. What made the difference was the support of those who looked after me and helped shape who I am today. Without doubt care leavers have challenges to overcome, but a child’s future doesn’t have to be defined by their past. 

“I was lucky to become an actor - if children have a stable and loving experience while in care, and then get the right support when they leave the system, they can go on to achieve and have fulfilling lives. I passionately believe this, which is why I am looking forward to highlighting and supporting the work of Barnardo’s. My fund is named after my mother Phyllis and my foster mother Pam. In different ways they both gave me life.” 

Care leaver Callum Nicholas , 20, from Beckenham, said:

“It was great to meet Lennie. YouthBuild Academy has been a brilliant programme for me, my colleagues and for the community in my local area. It’s been great that Barnardo’s has provided this opportunity. As a young person who has grown up in care, I know it’s not always easy to access education and training, which is why YouthBuild Academy can make such a big difference.”

Currently around 10,000 children leave the care system every year without the support that most young people take for granted, such as advice, emotional and financial support from parents and a family home. In total there are around 40,000 care leavers aged 17-21 in the UK.

Barnardo’s Chief Executive, Javed Khan said: 

“Young people leaving the care system have often experienced trauma such as bereavement, neglect or abuse, and many face additional challenges when it comes to education, employment and training. These vulnerable young people are also  at greater risk of poverty and homelessness, and are more likely to struggle with isolation and mental health issues. 

“At Barnardo’s we believe that with the right support all young people can achieve a positive future. But we rely on the generosity of supporters like  Lennie and Giselle so we can provide the services care leavers need. We are delighted to welcome Lennie on board as a Barnardo’s Ambassador, and look forward to working with him to raise awareness of this important issue.” 

If you’d like to support Lennie’s work with Barnardo’s you can make a donation towards his fund here. 

Source:
www.barnardos.org.uk

Barnardo's Scotland Fostering Edinburgh Team are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Children's Worker to join our Fostering Team. Relevant experience in direct work with children and young people is desirable. The post holder is required to have valid a driving license as travel forms an essential part of the role (where appropriate reasonable adjustments will be considered for candidates covered by the Equality Act who are unable to obtain a driving license). A recognized childcare qualification is essential.

The post is full-time and flexible arrangements can be considered in line with the service priorities. The post is based in Edinburgh.

About Barnardo's
At Barnardo's we believe in children – no matter who they are, what they have done or what they have been through. Please read about our basis and values following the link below. You will be asked questions relating to them as part of the recruitment process for this role.

Barnardo's is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce for staff and volunteers. We actively encourage applications from disabled, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic and male candidates as they are under-represented within Barnardo's.

Our basis and values

Full details and application documents here

Gloucestershire Locality

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Children's Services leader to help shape and support the Barnardo's regional strategy to work with even more vulnerable children and young people over the coming years. 

You will be based and working in our Gloucestershire locality, where we are a key stakeholder and have a strong history. We are looking for an individual who is willing to get fully involved in supporting staff to deliver potential growth opportunities alongside playing an intrinsic part within the regional Senior Management Team to deliver a very ambitious development programme.

We are looking for someone with great interpersonal skills combined with excellent leadership and management capacity, with a passion to improve the lives of our most vulnerable children and young people – is this you?

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and we expect all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment.  Our safer recruitment processes mean that the safety and welfare of the child is paramount at every stage of the process and therefore, we adopt rigorous scrutiny in our pre-employment checking. This post is subject to a range of pre-employment checks including a Criminal Records Enhanced Disclosure for the successful candidate.

At Barnardo's we believe in children – no matter who they are, what they have done or what they have been through. Please read about our basis and values following the link below. You will be asked questions relating to them as part of the recruitment process for this role.

About Barnardo's
At Barnardo's we believe in children – no matter who they are, what they have done or what they have been through. Please read about our basis and values following the link below. You will be asked questions relating to them as part of the recruitment process for this role.

Barnardo's is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce for staff and volunteers. We actively encourage applications from disabled, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic and male candidates as they are under-represented within Barnardo's.

Our basis and values

Full details and application details here

• The role of Assistant Head of Business is an exciting opportunity to lead on the development of Barnardo's fostering and adoption services across the Midlands and South West.
• To work with colleagues in the Family Placement UK Senior Management Team  to develop and drive the business strategy, ensuring cohesive, consistent practices which grow the business and meet the needs of commissioners, carers and children and young people.
• Work with stakeholders in identifying their requirements and providing the most appropriate solutions for them.

This post covers Midlands and South West regions and will be based in either one of Barnardo's bases or could be home-based within this geographical area.

Barnardo's believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore are open to offering flexible working arrangements.

At Barnardo's we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and we expect all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment.  Our safer recruitment processes mean that the safety and welfare of the child is paramount at every stage of the process and therefore, we adopt rigorous scrutiny in our pre-employment checking. This post is subject to a range of pre-employment checks including a Criminal Records Enhanced Disclosure for the successful candidate.

About Barnardo's
At Barnardo's we believe in children – no matter who they are, what they have done or what they have been through. Please read about our basis and values following the link below. You will be asked questions relating to them as part of the recruitment process for this role.

Barnardo's is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce for staff and volunteers. We actively encourage applications from disabled, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic and male candidates as they are under-represented within Barnardo's.

Our basis and values

Full details and application details here

A​t Barnardo's we believe in children. Our purpose is to transform the lives of the UK's most vulnerable children and our vision is to realise Thomas Barnardo's dream of a world where no child is turned away from the help that they need.

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced children's services leader to help shape and support the Barnardo's Central regional strategy to grow our Children and Young People's Services over the coming years. You will be working in one of our principle localities, Birmingham, where we are a key stakeholder and have a strong history.  We have a considerable amount of development work in the pipeline and are looking for an individual who is willing to get fully involved in supporting staff to deliver these growth opportunities alongside playing an intrinsic part within the regional senior management team to deliver a very ambitious development programme. 

We are looking for someone with great interpersonal skills combined with excellent leadership and management capacity, with a passion to improve the lives of our most vulnerable children and young people – is this you?

At Barnardo's, our purpose is to transform the lives of the UK's most vulnerable children and our vision is to realise Thomas Barnardo's dream of a world where no child is turned away from the help that they need.  We believe in children - no matter who they are, what they have done or what they have been through. Please read about our basis and values following the link below. You will be asked questions relating to them as part of the recruitment process for this role.

Our basis and values
Barnardo's is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce for staff and volunteers. We actively encourage applications from disabled, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic and male candidates as they are under-represented within Barnardo's.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and we expect all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment.  Our safer recruitment processes mean that the safety and welfare of the child is paramount at every stage of the process and therefore, we adopt rigorous scrutiny in our pre-employment checking. This post is subject to a range of pre-employment checks including an Enhanced DBS for the successful candidate.

When completing your application please refer to your skills knowledge and experience in relation to the Person Specification, Job Description and Additional Information document. This should be done with an understanding of the context of the service described.

For further information and to apply, please click on the apply button to be redirected to our website.

If you would like to discuss this position informally, please contact the Central Region Director, Hugh Sherriffe on Tel 01293610660 or 07887634962

Closing date: 11th October 2019    
Interview date: 8th November 2019
  
About Barnardo's
At Barnardo's we believe in children – no matter who they are, what they have done or what they have been through. Please read about our basis and values following the link below. You will be asked questions relating to them as part of the recruitment process for this role.

Barnardo's is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce for staff and volunteers. We actively encourage applications from disabled, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic and male candidates as they are under-represented within Barnardo's.

Our basis and values

Full details and application documents here

Lead and Deliver Transformational Change at the heart of the Barnardo's Mission.

We are seeking a strategic leader who can deliver profound and sustainable change for the Children In and Leaving Care that we and our partners work with. At the heart of our mission supporting vulnerable children and young people, we have invested in a “Core Priority Programme (CPP)” to transform the lives of those in and leaving the Care system - to enable them to be more likely to get meaningful education, employment and training because of that support. This Assistant Director Impact role has built some important foundations over the last two years - the start of long-term partnerships with key local authorities, and a ground-breaking Triangles scheme to empower Care Leavers in shaping Barnardo's and the work we do.

We are seeking a leader who can take this work to the next level in terms of impact, and who can galvanise the whole of our Charity, the young people we work with and our many external partners, to deepen and broaden the impact we can make on as many of those as possible in the care system across the U.K.   The CPP should include participation of children & young people to ensure the voice of the child is integral to the model; direct access/interaction with young people will therefore be a key role in the job.

The successful applicant will expected to work 4 days per month at Lynton House (Euston, London) and/or Barnardo House (Barkingside, Essex). Some travel to the strategic partnership areas (currently Brent and Plymouth) will also be required

This is an unusual and demanding post - you will need to have real strategic authority with senior stakeholders, key government departments and partners and credible operational impact, including directly with young people.

At Barnardo's we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and we expect all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment.  Our safer recruitment processes mean that the safety and welfare of the child is paramount at every stage of the process and therefore, we adopt rigorous scrutiny in our pre-employment checking. This post is subject to a range of pre-employment checks including a Criminal Records Enhanced Disclosure for the successful candidate.

About Barnardo's
At Barnardo's we believe in children – no matter who they are, what they have done or what they have been through. Please read about our basis and values following the link below. You will be asked questions relating to them as part of the recruitment process for this role.

Barnardo's is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce for staff and volunteers. We actively encourage applications from disabled, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic and male candidates as they are under-represented within Barnardo's.

Our basis and values​

Full details and application documents can be found on the Barnardo's website

The Local Government Association says severe funding shortages and huge demand pressures mean councils were forced to overspend on their children’s social care budgets by nearly £800 million last year in order to try and keep children safe.

Barnardo's says the Government must address the crisis in children's social care.

Barnardo’s Chief Executive Javed Khan said:  

“We have long warned about a ‘perfect storm’ in children’s social care, with more youngsters needing help to cope with increasingly complex challenges, while councils are struggling to find the money they need to help the most vulnerable families.

"Today’s alarming analysis by the Local Government Association shows the lengths councils are having to go to in order to be able to provide the help families need.

“The Government must urgently address the funding challenges councils face, so all children can get help early in every community. 

“But it’s not simply a question of money. The system must change too. This is why we are taking a radical new approach to delivery - working with national and local partners to co-design and deliver services, investing our own resource, and focusing on how we can change children’s lives, and the system around them, for the better.”

Source: 
www.barnardos.org.uk