supporting children in care over the summer holidays

Many children associate the summer holidays with family getaways, fun activities, and time with their friends. However, for children in care, of which 80 per cent suffer a diagnosable mental health disorder, this is frequently not the reality. The lack of routine and school-run activities can curate a stressful and unpredictable environment which can exacerbate these mental health concerns and require extra support. But unfortunately, the very nature of summer school holidays means that the required support is not usually available to vulnerable children in care during the height of summer. Regular routine helps to create a sense of stability which is esse...

Charities question councils' treatment of teenagers presenting as homeless

Children’s charity leaders have raised concerns over reports that children treated as homeless by local authorities rather than as in need of care are not being offered adequate information about their entitlements. A Freedom of Information request by the BBC sent to all London councils revealed figures for the number of councils who accommodated 16-and 17-year-olds under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989 were low or incomplete. Homeless children getting in touch with their local authority were reported to be "misled and unsure" when making decisions regarding their accommodation and wellbeing, with some being placed under Section 17 of the act which mean...

We must pledge to change our approach to looked-after children

Children in the care system are some of the most at risk in our society. As the scandals of recent years have shown, when issues arise in this system the voices of looked after children are often lost or silenced. One problem that is clear time and again is that children from troubled backgrounds are often treated as a problem to be solved rather than a person to be nurtured. A recent report ‘Lives transformed, potential fulfilled’ detailed the impact that this has: children who have been in care make up 25% of the homeless and 24% of the prison population, and just 13% of care leavers progress to higher education by the age of 19. Mental hea...

Our Founder talks to Care Appointments

emily Alkan talks to Care Appointments about how a sense of self worth is more powerful than handcuffing children & young people. Read the full article...