KFBU visit 16 th September 2009

1. KFBU visit 16th September 2009

2. Voice • Founded in 1975 – to ensure that voices of children and young people were heard. • Works with children and young people across the UK who are: • Looked after • In need • Locked up

3. Aims • Empowering children and young people in public care and campaigning for change to improve their lives • Giving a voice to individual children and supporting them with advocates • Working with children for improvements for all looked after children

4. About Voice • Over the past 30 years Voice has grown to become one of the leading providers of advocacy services for children and young people in public care. • Our Headquarters/London regional office is in Islington, North London. We have four regional offices covering all local authority areas of England. Currently we have over 70 staffand 180 freelance workers around the country. • We work directly with over 3,500 young people each year.

5. Our services • Community Advocacy and specialist advocates • National Helpline - We have a national freephone helpline (0808 800 5792) and a nationwide network of trained advocates. • Visiting Advocacy – Our visiting advocates visit residential care homes on a regular basis. We are also a large provider of advocacy to children who have been placed in secure settings including secure children’s homes, Secure Training Centres (STCs), Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) and secure psychiatric units. • Independent Services - We provide Independent Persons and Investigating Officers for Children Act complaints and Independent Persons for secure accommodation reviews. • Independent Visitors – Independent Visitors provide a constant relationship for children and young people who have faced many other changes in their life.

6. What is advocacy? • Speaking up for children and young people • Empowering children and young people to make sure their rights, views and wishes are heard • Representing the views, wishes and needs of children and young people to decision makers • Helping them navigate the system National Standards for the Provision of Children’s Advocacy services (2002)

7. Children looked after by the state Children in care of local authorities Includes 3,300 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children

8. Children in prison/secure provision Juvenile Young Offender Institutions 2,479 (YOIs) Secure Training Centres 235 Secure children’s homes 191 TOTAL 2,905

9. Disabled children 9,500 children in residential schools • 38% boarding in local authority maintained schools • 35% independent schools • 27% non-maintained special schools Overall estimate in schools, health and social care (foster care or residential care) = 14,200

10. Total children living away from home In care of local authorities 60,000 (includes 3,300 unaccompanied Asylum seeking children) In prison/locked up 3,000 Disabled in education/other settings (estimated)* c10,000 *Not included in local authority care statistics

11. Total number of children away from home during the year Through care 85,000 Through prison 8,516* Special schools etc Not known *This figure includes young people who had more than one placement during this period

12. The outcomes for children in care • 12% gain 5 A-C GCSEs compared to 56% of population • 6% go to university compared to 43% of population • 20% of women leaving care 16-19 become mothers compared to 5% of population • 40% of children in custody were in care • 23% of adult prison population previously in care

13. The outcomes for children in care • 9 times more likely to be excluded from school • 2 times more likely not to be in education/employment • 50% will have suffered from a mental health problem • 60 times more likely to become homeless.

14. Background of children imprisoned • 40% have been in care at some point (18% subject to care orders) • 31% mental health problems • 50% poor education skills • 40% females/25% males have history of domestic violence • 33% F/5% M have history of sexual abuse • 45% have substance misuse issues

15. I feel lonely, I feel scared Can someone please just tell me why. I feel unhappy, I feel pressurised Can someone please just tell me why. I feel unloved, I feel like no one cares Can someone please just tell me why. I feel confused, I feel insecure Can someone please just tell me why. I feel I have no say in important things in my life Can someone please just tell me why. Ann, aged 16 I feel

16. Blueprint a child centred approach to children and young people in public care

17. Being child-centred

18. Four Blueprint messages • We have to focus on the child in everything we do. • The relationships children have are central to their wellbeing. • Children and young people are competent.  • We need to create a better balance between working directly with children and all the other tasks which support this central activity.

20. Article 12: The child’s opinion • States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child. The Convention of the Rights of the Child Adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 20 November 1989

21. Article 12: The child’s opinion continued… • For this purpose, the child shall in particular be provided the opportunity to be heard in any judicial and administrative proceedings affecting the child, either directly, or through a representative or an appropriate body, in a manner with the procedural rules of national law. The Convention of the Rights of the Child Adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 20 November 1989

23. Contact details John Kemmis, Chief Executive Voice Tel: 020 7833 5792 Email: john.kemmis@voiceyp.org Website:www.voiceyp.org