All the latest Blog Posts Business https://serenitywelfare.org (c) 2018 - 2026 en-gb We are incredibly proud to share that our CEO, Emily Aklan, has been shortlisted as a finalist for the Stars of Children Young People Awards 🌟

We are incredibly proud to share that our CEO, Emily Aklan, has been shortlisted as a finalist for the Stars of Children Young People Awards 🌟 Emily has been recognised in the Outstanding Contribution to Children’s Services Award, reflecting her unwavering commitment to supporting, empowering and inspiring young people. This recognition reflects the impact of the work being delivered every day—supporting young people to feel heard, valued and equipped to move forward with confidence. At Serenity Welfare, we deliver bespoke, holistic support for children and young people, creating safe and nurturing environments where they feel valued, supported, and empowered to thrive. Congratulations Emily – a truly well-deserved achievement. 💙...Continue Reading → You\'re reading 🌟Finalist for the Stars of Children & Young People Awards 🌟 by Catherine Namey, posted on Serenity Welfare.

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org (Catherine Namey) Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:14:04 +0100 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1775660820/article/finalist-for-the-stars-of-children-young-people-aw.html 1775660820 Blogging We’re delighted to share that Serenity Welfare has been recognised by The Sunday Times as one of the Best Places to Work 2025 in the Health Social Care - Small Business category!

We’re delighted to share that Serenity Welfare has been recognised by The Sunday Times as one of the Best Places to Work 2025 in the Health Social Care - Small Business category! This award celebrates organisations across the UK that put their people first, creating workplaces where staff feel valued, supported and motivated to make a real difference. At Serenity Welfare, we’re passionate about providing children and young people with the highest quality care and support, and that starts with taking care of our incredible team. From ongoing professional development and wellbeing initiatives to a strong sense of purpose and teamwork, we’re proud to have built a culture where everyone can thrive. Being recognised among the best places to work is a testament to the dedication, compassion and commitment of our staff across every part of the organisation. Thank you to our amazing team - this achievement belongs to you....Continue Reading → You\'re reading Proud to Be a Sunday Times Best Place to Work 2025! by Louisa Benbow, posted on Serenity Welfare.

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org (Louisa Benbow) Mon, 03 Nov 2025 16:45:44 +0000 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1762187460/article/proud-to-be-a-sunday-times-best-place-to-work-2025.html 1762187460 Blogging

    In this inspiring episode of The Serene Podcast, we sit down with Tom who we supported as a young person in care - now a young adult with a powerful voice, lived experience and wisdom to share. Tom reflects on his personal journey through the care system, the challenges he faced and the support that helped shape his path. This episode is a testament to the strength found in vulnerability and the transformative impact of compassionate support.    ...Continue Reading → You\'re reading Episode 3 | The Lived Experience by Serene Pod, posted on Serenity Welfare.

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org (Serene Pod) Fri, 16 May 2025 10:48:34 +0100 https://serenitywelfare.org/serene-pod-podcast/perma/1747387560/article/episode-3-the-lived-experience.html 1747387560 Society & Culture

iframe style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/show/60fXacgnLUo68sRicnyLlK?utm_source=generator t=0" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy" /iframe In this episode, we are in our BRAND NEW podcast studio reflecting on our experiences working directly with young people, the challenges, the breakthroughs, and the powerful moments that have shaped our approach.   Whether in schools, youth justice, or creative projects, every interaction has taught us something new about communication, trust, and what young people really need from the adults around them. We share insights, unexpected lessons, and practical tips for anyone looking to better support and engage with youth today....Continue Reading → You\'re reading Episode 2|Lessons from the Field: What We’ve Learned Working with Young People by Louisa Benbow, posted on Serenity Welfare.

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org (Serene Pod) Tue, 06 May 2025 15:49:56 +0100 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1746541800/article/episode-2lessons-from-the-field-what-weve-learned.html 1746541800 Society & Culture 🎙️ Welcome to the first episode of Serene Pod!

🎙️ Welcome to the first episode of Serene Pod! Hosted by Selin, Head of Wellbeing at Serenity Welfare and a registered Dramatherapist working with vulnerable young people in care and the youth justice system — alongside Mark, mentor, music producer, former Serenity team member, and now full-time content creator. In this episode, Selin and Mark dive into open, honest, and thought-provoking conversations about the realities of working with vulnerable children and young people. They share insights from their own journeys, the challenges faced in frontline work, and why wellbeing — for both staff and young people — really matters. Expect stories, laughs, hard truths, and hopeful moments from two people who’ve seen the system from the inside.    ...Continue Reading → You\'re reading Episode 1 | Supporting Youth, Shaping Tomorrow by Serene Pod, posted on Serenity Welfare.

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org (Serene Pod) Tue, 06 May 2025 14:56:40 +0100 https://serenitywelfare.org/serene-pod-podcast/perma/1746539640/article/episode-1-supporting-youth-shaping-tomorrow.html 1746539640 Society & Culture For most of us, our home is where we feel comfortable and where we rest our heads after a long day. But for vulnerable children in care it is so much more than that: it can be a refuge and a safe space where they can feel protected.

For most of us, our home is where we feel comfortable and where we rest our heads after a long day. But for vulnerable children in care it is so much more than that: it can be a refuge and a safe space where they can feel protected. Recent investigations have shown that thousands of homeless teenagers have been advised against turning to care homes for accommodation and told to seek cheaper hostels instead. Reports suggest that social workers have advised vulnerable children in this way, despite hostels lacking the necessary care and support stipulated under section 20 of the Children Act 1989. These hostels, populated primarily by adults, may offer some financial relief for councils, but they are not the best option for vulnerable young people. Most children in this situation were fleeing from challenging home environments, so were excited by the idea of an ‘independent living situation.' However, they were offered little consistency or familiarity in an already frightening situation. They also reported being given no support or guidance and felt that this really ‘took a toll on them’ and that they had to ‘grow up rapidly.' Allowing vulnerable children to grow up in hostels puts them at significant long-term risk, particularly becoming more susceptible to homelessness as an adult. The rising homelessness crisis makes it imperative to address this problem, especially considering that 25% of the homeless population are care leavers. Due to their lack of a traditional and secure family unit, care leavers are often made homeless as they cannot rely on family to offer financial support, and therefore find themselves in potentially dangerous living conditions. This dilemma can signal the start of a difficult life for care leavers, as heartbreaking statistics reveal that they are up to five times more likely than the general population to die by suicide. They are also far less likely to pursue further education, with only 13% of care leavers

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org (WebBoss Design) Thu, 02 Nov 2023 13:35:14 +0000 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1698931980/article/vulnerable-young-people-need-support-not-misinform.html 1698931980 Blogging 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.

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 means they are not classed as looked after. Residential Care Special Report 2023 Legal Update: Keeping children in care safe Earlier this year, a teenager took Lambeth Council to court after being placed in hostel arguing that the local authority failed to provide her with appropriate accommodation under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989. Serenity Welfare chief executive Emily Aklan said: “The situation homeless teenagers are finding themselves in is not only dangerous, but extremely concerning. Purposely misinforming vulnerable young people about their care options represents the actions of a government who prioritise saving money over children’s safety. This worrying and illegal practice is in direct violation of Section 20 of the Children Act and needs to be stopped immediately.” Under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989, most 16-and 17-year-olds who a local council identify as homeless should be taken into care, according to the BBC.  Child advocacy charity Coram Voice told the BBC that they believe thousands of 16-17 year-olds hadn’t been treated in accordance to child protection laws. Andrew Dickie, head of services at Coram Voice, said: “Again and again, we find children tell us that they've not been given the ful

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org (WebBoss Design) Tue, 17 Oct 2023 13:43:22 +0100 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1697546340/article/charities-question-councils-treatment-of-teenagers.html 1697546340 Blogging

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 essential for healthy physical and emotional development. When a child has suffered trauma, which so many children in care have, managing difficult feelings can be a tough battle making for turbulent emotions and compromised wellbeing. For any child, routine is important. However due to the lack of structure and support in their home environments, children in the care system are in particular need of support as they often lack the comfort of a traditional family unit. Teachers and school friends often play a huge part in improving looked after children’s lives. Adjusting to the absence of these reliable figures of support over the summer can be incredibly difficult, especially as children in care often suffer from abandonment issues. Lack of community is another factor children in care struggle with and this is often overlooked. Most children consistently remain in one area throughout their childhood, but children in care are often moved from their hometown across several care facilities; some as many as 500 miles away. This can make it difficult to socialise and pursue hobbies which can create positive relationships and safe environments. Instead, many vulnerable children find the summer holidays isolating and can lead them down a dangerous path such as being targeted by county lines gangs. County

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org (WebBoss Design) Mon, 14 Aug 2023 18:45:48 +0100 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1692034980/article/supporting-children-in-care-over-the-summer-holida.html 1692034980 Blogging Career Overview

Career Overview Emily Aklan is the founder and chief executive of Serenity Welfare, a uniquely integrated organisation that works with UK-wide local authorities, children’s charities, schools, alternative education provisions, youth Offending Services and other healthcare professionals, offering a fully comprehensive welfare service for children and young people - including those in care - 24-hours-a-day, seven days per week. Emily founded Serenity Welfare in 2016 after being horrified to discover that children in care - some as young as 10-years-old - were being transported from care home to care home or picked up from police stations after absconding episodes in handcuffs and sometimes with their feet tied. It was this experience of seeing the challenges within the care and justice systems - and the changes that need to be made - that led Emily to launch the new ‘Hope instead of Handcuffs’ campaign to end the handcuffing of children. Emily's work and campaigning led to her being named as the Social Enterprise Businesswoman of the year at the Great British Businesswoman Awards in 2023. Early Life Emily was born in Holloway, London, residing in Palmers Green with her family before settling in Enfield. At the age of 18, Emily embarked on a career as an estate agent. Discovering that she had a natural entrepreneurial streak, Emily quickly excelled in the industry and progressed to working for large UK housebuilders and boasted an enviable profile in the sector, becoming a director of the company she worked at by the time she was 31. In 2004, Emily made the decision to branch out on her own by launching her own business: a project-directing consultancy operating across the UK, Turkey, Italy and Dubai. Serenity Welfare Tragically, Emily experienced the care system herself when her sister died and Emily had to fight to secure custody of her two nieces. Out of concern for what might have happened to her nieces came the idea for Se

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org (WebBoss Design) Mon, 06 Feb 2023 14:34:23 +0000 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1675693860/article/emily-aklan-is-the-founder-and-chief-executive-of-.html 1675693860 Blogging

Hertfordshire based Emily Aklan has been recognised as one of this year’s most exceptional women in business at the second annual Great British Businesswoman Awards. Emily, CEO at Serenity Welfare was honoured as Social Enterprise Businesswoman of the Year. Emily is one of the UK’s leading children’s rights campaigners. After discovering the appalling way children in care were treated when her nieces narrowly escaped the care system six years ago, Emily devoted herself to helping the UK’s vulnerable children. As part of her work, Emily founded Serenity Welfare in 2016 after being horrified to discover that children in care – some as young as 10-years-old – were being transported from care home to care home or picked up from police stations in handcuffs and sometimes with their feet tied. It is her experience of witnessing the challenges within the care, justice and health systems, and the changes that need to be made, that led Emily to conduct research on the life outcomes of children in care and launch a new campaign to end the handcuffing of vulnerable children and young people in care. It is her work in founding Serenity Welfare, campaigning for legal change and providing children in care with alternative transport that does not restrain children under any circumstances, that led to Emily winning the Social Enterprise category. The programme launched in 2021 to recognise the growing number of trailblazing women in business leadership and entrepreneurship, champion their peers and advocates, and inspire the next generation of businesswomen. In 2021, over 140,000 female-founded companies were established, a figure that is growing by a third every year, and the number of women in leadership positions in FTSE 100 companies increased to 32.5%, from 30.6% in 2020. It’s thought that this increase in representation of women in business could unlock a huge amount of economic potential, especially as

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org (WebBoss Design) Fri, 03 Feb 2023 12:13:55 +0000 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1675426320/article/hertfordshire-childrens-rights-campaign-named-soci.html 1675426320 Blogging

The business women leading the way in their industries have been named in the second annual Great British Businesswoman Awards. The programme launched in 2021 to recognise the growing number of trailblazing women in business leadership and entrepreneurship, champion their peers and advocates, and inspire the next generation of businesswomen. In 2021, over 140,000 female-founded companies were established, a figure that is growing by a third every year, and the number of women in leadership positions in FTSE 100 companies increased to 32.5%, from 30.6% in 2020. It’s thought that this increase in representation of women in business could unlock a huge amount of economic potential, especially as the trajectory continues. The final took place at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London as the awards was held in person for the first time, after coronavirus meant the first ever ceremony was held online. The overall Great British Businesswoman of the Year was awarded to Beth Knight, Amazon in the Community Leader for Europe, whose work surrounds building a better working world for women. From helping women and girls to advance their careers in technology with programs like Amazon Future Engineer, to overseeing large-scale philanthropy initiatives for refugees fleeing the current crisis in the Ukraine, Beth has been highly commended for the work she has undertaken so far in her career. The programme was founded by the team behind the Great British Entrepreneur Awards in 2021, who had been blown away by the increasing volume and quality of applications to the prestigious awards series by women in previous years. The winners were selected by a panel of expert judges from companies including Burberry, easyJet, WarnerMedia, Cabinet Office, Greggs and Heathrow Airport, who all have their own vast experience working within diversity and inclusion. The Great British Businesswoman Awards were founded by Francesca James, who said that the showcased winners would play

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org (WebBoss Design) Fri, 03 Feb 2023 12:10:24 +0000 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1675425960/article/britains-most-inspiring-women-in-business-crowned-.html 1675425960 Blogging This Christmas, over 1,300 children in Manchester were living in the city's care system - a seven per cent increase on last year.

This Christmas, over 1,300 children in Manchester were living in the city's care system - a seven per cent increase on last year. More children in care means that the system is coming under more pressure, local politicians have warned. MP for Wythenshawe and Sale East, Mike Kane, is calling for more government support to help the sector. The labour politician has shared his opinion with the M.E.N on what needs to be done to ensure vulnerable children in Manchester are given the safe home they need. READ MORE:The Manchester sanctuary that's keeping young women safe this Christmas The festive season is a time for families to spend quality time together and should be a time of joy for children. But for the 1,385 children in care in Manchester, there is no such guarantee. The recent John Lewis advert shone a positive light on the care system with a prospective foster father bonding with his foster daughter over skateboarding. But for children in care in Manchester, more support is needed for them to have the happy childhood that they deserve and for them to reach their full potential once they reach adulthood. As in many areas of life, the pandemic had a negative impact on the care system. The latest government statistics show that there has been a 7% increase in the number of children in Manchester who have entered the care system. More children in care means more pressure on the care system, something that we must get right if we are to improve the life outcomes for these vulnerable children. Early intervention to support vulnerable children in care is vital if we are to help them reach their full potential. The data shows that despite making up around 1% of the population, young people leaving care go on to make up a quarter of the prison and homeless populations, and 40% are not in any form of employment, education or training. These statistics reflect a series of personal tragedies, but they also reflect a wider societal problem that we must fix.

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org (WebBoss Design) Wed, 04 Jan 2023 09:37:34 +0000 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1672824900/article/all-of-manchesters-children-deserve-to-live-in-a-s.html 1672824900 Blogging More than half of looked-after children born in 1994 had a criminal conviction by the time they were 24, official figures have shown.

More than half of looked-after children born in 1994 had a criminal conviction by the time they were 24, official figures have shown. The data, published by the Office for National Statistics, shows that 52 per cent of care-experienced young people were handed a criminal conviction by age 24, compared with 13 per cent of their non care experienced peers of the same age. One in seven care experienced children, whose data was examined for the research, received an immediate custodial sentence by the time they were 24, compared with one per cent of young people with no experience of care of the same age. Special report: Social, emotional and mental health needs Social workers on the small screen The figures also show that around 30 per cent of young people with experience of care received an immediate custodial sentence by the time they were 16. The proportion among their non-care experienced peers of the same age was nine per cent. Two in five of convictions of young people with experience of care involved a fined or community order. The analysis also shows that looked-after children received their first custodial sentence at a younger age than their non-care experienced peers. While on average those with experience of care received their first custodial sentence when they were 18, for those not in care the average age was 20 years. Emily Aklan, chief executive of children’s services organisation Serenity Welfare described the latest statistics as “shocking”. “These findings are important to highlight that it is children’s circumstances, not the children themselves, which are to blame – children in care are victims of the system.” “Funding needs to be focused on the very start with early interventions, so that fewer children are exposed to this environment which leads them to the criminal justice system," she said. Theft and minor non-motoring summary o

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org (WebBoss Design) Thu, 15 Dec 2022 09:50:10 +0000 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1671097560/article/care-experienced-young-people-more-likely-to-recei.html 1671097560 Blogging

...Continue Reading → You\'re reading House of Lords debate - Independent Review of Children's Social Care - 8th December by WebBoss Design, posted on Serenity Welfare.

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org (WebBoss Design) Mon, 12 Dec 2022 10:22:04 +0000 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1670840460/article/house-of-lords-debate-independent-review-of-childr.html 1670840460 Blogging Follow the link to see the full schedule.

Follow the link to see the full schedule. Read More...Continue Reading → You\'re reading County Lines Digital Conference by WebBoss Design, posted on Serenity Welfare.

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org (WebBoss Design) Wed, 23 Nov 2022 14:30:05 +0000 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1669213440/article/county-lines-digital-conference.html 1669213440 Blogging WALES ISSUES GUIDANCE TO REDUCE HANDCUFFING OF CHILDREN IN CARE

WALES ISSUES GUIDANCE TO REDUCE HANDCUFFING OF CHILDREN IN CARE Read More WALES BECOMES FIRST UK NATION TO BAN CHILDREN IN CARE BEING HANDCUFFED OR RESTRAINED Read More Liberal England Read More...Continue Reading → You\'re reading WALES ISSUES GUIDANCE TO REDUCE HANDCUFFING OF CHILDREN IN CARE by WebBoss Design, posted on Serenity Welfare.

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org (WebBoss Design) Tue, 25 Oct 2022 11:17:23 +0100 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1666692840/article/wales-issues-guidance-to-reduce-handcuffing-of-chi.html 1666692840 Blogging ...Continue Reading → You\'re reading Serenity Welfare send our condolences to the Queen – 1926 – to 2022 by WebBoss Design,

...Continue Reading → You\'re reading Serenity Welfare send our condolences to the Queen – 1926 – to 2022 by WebBoss Design, posted on Serenity Welfare.

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org (WebBoss Design) Wed, 14 Sep 2022 12:08:09 +0100 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1663153560/article/serenity-welfare-send-our-condolences-to-the-queen.html 1663153560 Blogging This week Marsha de Cordova, MP for Battersea, asked in a written question to the Secretary of State for Education,  "what steps he is taking to end the handcuffing and restraint of children in the care system by private secure transportation providers".

This week Marsha de Cordova, MP for Battersea, asked in a written question to the Secretary of State for Education,  "what steps he is taking to end the handcuffing and restraint of children in the care system by private secure transportation providers". This follows a successful drop-in session hosted last week in the House of Commons by Serenity Welfare in the name of the Hope Instead of Handcuffs campaign which was attended by 22 MPs....Continue Reading → You\'re reading MP writes to Secretary of State in support of Hope Instead of Handcuffs Campaign by Fern Champion, posted on Serenity Welfare.

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org (Fern Champion) Tue, 24 May 2022 16:19:17 +0100 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1653404700/article/mp-writes-to-secretary-of-state-in-support-of-hope.html 1653404700 Blogging

Mental health is one of the most significant health policy challenges facing decision makers today, yet the solutions – and the funding – are too often found to be wanting. Real action is needed on key issues such as the prevalence of self-harm amongst young people, yet our understanding of this issue is nowhere near what it needs to be. For example, there is no way of knowing if a child who has been admitted to hospital for self-harming is one of the 80,850 – and growing – children living in care in England. This is because, as the Government confirmed to me recently, whether a child is care-experienced is not recorded in hospital data. This isn’t the only area where the government’s data capture is woefully inadequate. On referrals to mental health services and admissions to A E, the government is failing to provide leadership and set up processes that capture this vitally important data on extremely vulnerable people. This may sound like a relatively dry or esoteric issue, but this worrying data gap means we cannot accurately understand how many children living in the UK’s care system experience or are impacted by self-harm. Without this understanding, we cannot meaningfully address the problem, nor drive improvements for children across the whole care system. Care-experienced children may be at an increased risk of self-harming as a result of distress and mental ill health linked to adverse childhood experiences and trauma. When a child is admitted to hospital for self-harming, this is one of the few opportunities to understand more about what led the child to self-harm in the first place. This is essential for providing the right support and responding appropriately to the needs of the child. These needs can be very different and in many ways more complex for care-experienced children. Related Brexit Has Left A £30m Funding Black Hole At Medicines Regulator By John Johnston 14 Apr

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org () Mon, 09 May 2022 15:56:46 +0100 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1652106360/article/the-government-must-take-action-to-stop-data-gaps.html 1652106360 Blogging In my many years of working with vulnerableyoung people, one thing which never fails toshock me is the negative attitudes targetedtowards children in care. The archaic viewof looked after children as “little thugs”,responsible for their problems, is morewidespread than we might like to admit.The reality couldn’t be more different. Young people in oron the edge of the care system have often faced multipledisadvantages and trauma which most of us could neverimagine. In addition, they often do not have the securityof a family support network in the same way as otherchildren.

In my many years of working with vulnerableyoung people, one thing which never fails toshock me is the negative attitudes targetedtowards children in care. The archaic viewof looked after children as “little thugs”,responsible for their problems, is morewidespread than we might like to admit.The reality couldn’t be more different. Young people in oron the edge of the care system have often faced multipledisadvantages and trauma which most of us could neverimagine. In addition, they often do not have the securityof a family support network in the same way as otherchildren. But, however untrue they might be, negative attitudessuch as these seep through into how the care systemoperates. We can see it in issues like teenagers beingmoved to semi-independent accommodation likehostels, often alone and sharing the premises withgrown adults; or the way some of those who workwith vulnerable children, like certain private transportproviders, still rely on physical restraint and handcuffsto force compliance instead of using supportive de-escalation techniques. We know from the data how damaging these earlyexperiences can be on a child’s future, and that careleavers face greater risk of poor life outcomes whencompared to their peers. For example, as a recent reportundertaken by the Hope instead of Handcuffs campaignshowed, care leavers make up 25% of the homeless and24% of the prison population. They are also more likelyto suffer with poor mental health and more likely to beclassified as Not in Education Employment or Training(NEET), in the years after they leave school.   These statistics demonstrate exactly how looked afterchildren are slipping through the cracks in the system.There is a clear disparity between how the generalpublic view, and therefore treat, children within thecare system compared to those outside it. Lookedafter children are considered to be more responsiblefor their behaviour and actions than their peers. Thisleads to many p

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org () Thu, 05 May 2022 09:39:29 +0100 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1651739460/article/care-talk-article.html 1651739460 Blogging Writing for CareTalk, Emily Aklan, founder of Serenity Welfare and the children’s rights campaigner behind the Hope Instead of Handcuffs initiative, calls for a change of attitude around vulnerable young people and urges government to help dispel the myth that such youngsters are responsible for their own troubles and invest in the services they require.

Writing for CareTalk, Emily Aklan, founder of Serenity Welfare and the children’s rights campaigner behind the Hope Instead of Handcuffs initiative, calls for a change of attitude around vulnerable young people and urges government to help dispel the myth that such youngsters are responsible for their own troubles and invest in the services they require. In my many years of working with vulnerable young people, one thing which never fails to shock me is the negative attitudes targeted towards children in care. The archaic view of looked after children as “little thugs”, responsible for their problems, is more widespread than we might like to admit. The reality couldn’t be more different. Young people in or on the edge of the care system have often faced multiple disadvantages and trauma which most of us could never imagine. In addition, they often do not have the security of a family support network in the same way as other children. But however untrue they might be, negative attitudes such as these tend to seep through into how the care system operates. We can see it in issues like teenagers being moved to semi-independent accommodation like hostels, often alone and sharing the premises with grown adults; or the way some of those who work with vulnerable children, like certain private transport providers, still rely on physical restraint and handcuffs to force compliance instead of using supportive de-escalation techniques. We know from the data how damaging these early experiences can be on a child’s future, and that care leavers face greater risk of poor life outcomes when compared to their peers. For example, as a recent report undertaken by the Hope instead of Handcuffs campaign showed, care leavers make up 25 per cent of the homeless and 24 per cent of the prison population. They are also more likely to suffer with poor mental health and more likely to be classified as Not in Education E

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org () Wed, 06 Apr 2022 10:28:59 +0100 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1649237220/article/childrens-rights-campaigner-aklan-calls-for-change.html 1649237220 Blogging

In my many years of working with vulnerable young people, one thing which never fails to shock me is the negative attitudes targeted towards children in care. The archaic view of looked after children as “little thugs”, responsible for their problems, is more widespread than we might like to admit. The reality couldn’t be more different. Young people in or on the edge of the care system have often faced multiple disadvantages and trauma which most of us could never imagine. In addition, they often do not have the security of a family support network in the same way as other children. But, however untrue they might be, negative attitudes such as these seep through into how the care system operates. We can see it in issues like teenagers being moved to semi-independent accommodation like hostels, often alone and sharing the premises with grown adults; or the way some of those who work with vulnerable children, like certain private transport providers, still rely on physical restraint and handcuffs to force compliance instead of using supportive de-escalation techniques. We know from the data how damaging these early experiences can be on a child’s future, and that care leavers face greater risk of poor life outcomes when compared to their peers. For example, as a recent report undertaken by the Hope instead of Handcuffs campaign showed, care leavers make up 25% of the homeless and 24% of the prison population. They are also more likely to suffer with poor mental health and more likely to be classified as Not in Education Employment or Training (NEET), in the years after they leave school. These statistics demonstrate exactly how looked after children are slipping through the cracks in the system. There is a clear disparity between how the general public view, and therefore treat, children within the care system compared to those outside it. Looked after children are considered to be more responsible for their behaviour

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org () Fri, 01 Apr 2022 10:20:10 +0100 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1648804620/article/hope-not-handcuffs.html 1648804620 Blogging The awful practice of handcuffing children during transport must end | Sarah Champion

The awful practice of handcuffing children during transport must end | Sarah Champion The awful practice of handcuffing children during transport must end | Sarah Champion Local authorities often use private service providers to transport children in their care, but unlike schools or care homes, transport providers are not required to report when they restrain or use handcuffs on a child That’s why I'm supporting the “Hope instead of Handcuffs” campaign, which is calling for instances of restraint against looked-after children in private transport to be reported to the proper authorities, as well as an end to the handcuffing, restraining or caging of children, except when there is considerable risk of harm to themselves or others. It’s extremely concerning that there is currently no obligation for private transport providers to record this appalling practice. This leaves the onus on the child to understand and report what has happened to them. This is entirely unacceptable. We need a system which actively safeguards children and respects their rights. 2021 must be the last year that we allow children to be traumatised by being placed in handcuffs.Sarah Champion is Labour MP for Rotherham and chair of the House of Commons’ International Development CommitteeRegister for free to continue readingRegistration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalism   Read More...Continue Reading → You\'re reading The awful practice of handcuffing children during transport must end | Sarah Champion by , posted on Serenity Welfare.

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org () Wed, 05 Jan 2022 10:40:45 +0000 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1641379080/article/the-awful-practice-of-handcuffing-children-during-.html 1641379080 Blogging The care-to-prison pipeline shows our failure of looked-after children

The care-to-prison pipeline shows our failure of looked-after children This problem is rooted in both a lack of protection and a dangerously out-of-date attitude perpetuated from the top down In the past week, we have heard sombre stories about the state of children’s social care in the UK. The Department for Education revealed that the number of looked-after children has hit its highest number yet – up 1 per cent from 2020 to 80,850 – and the County Councils Network has predicted that this number will hit 100,000 by 2025. We must urgently address the national epidemic of inequality which has been growing silently in the dark....Continue Reading → You\'re reading The care-to-prison pipeline shows our failure of looked-after children by , posted on Serenity Welfare.

]]> test@serenitywelfare.org () Thu, 25 Nov 2021 16:06:51 +0000 https://serenitywelfare.org/news/perma/1637856360/article/the-care-to-prison-pipeline-shows-our-failure-of-l.html 1637856360 Blogging