Decision details

Young people from Lancashire's Children in Care Council (LINX) and the Care Leavers Forum (CLF) updated the Board on what they had been involved with since the last meeting of the Board in September 2024.  Further details can be found in the presentation appended to the minutes.

Care Leavers Week

The Board noted that Care Leavers Week had taken place from 21-25 October 2024, where young people had come together and took park in various activities such as ziplining at Go Ape, Dinner with Dialogue and a Care Leavers Fair.

Young people reported that the week was fun and a great way of being themselves.  Whilst at Go Ape, they helped and encouraged one another to complete the course and supported each other to face their fears and commented on how good they felt when they pushed themselves outside of their comfort zone.

The Board were informed that the Care Leavers Fair had seen significant participation from both young people and staff with over 100 attendees at the event.  Young people decorated frames which will form part of an exhibition that will embark on a roadshow in January 2025 which will showcase the artwork in various libraries across Lancashire, with additional venues currently under consideration.  They will also be on display at Lancashire County Council's Full Council on 12 December 2024.

Also at the Fair, the young people had the opportunity to engage with various stallholders from across Lancashire including participation groups, lifelong links, several universities, and resources related to employment and education. The "Get Involved" process was also launched which included a banner and video that had been produced by members of the Children in Care Council (LINX) and the Care Leavers Forum (CLF), in collaboration with Clare Smith, Policy, Commissioning and Children's Health, Lancashire County Council. 

Feedback from young people at the event was collated and thanks were given Jane Hylton and her team for organising and planning Care Leavers week.

Young people from the Care Leavers Forum and the Lancashire House Project also took part in an event called Dinner with Dialogue, where they dined and met various Directors, Heads of Services and professionals from across Lancashire County Council and talked to those in attendance about their personal interests and professional roles. 

As the meeting transitioned to a more formal discussion, a large group was convened to address topics that were relevant to the young people present which included the challenges they faced and suggestions for improvements within the services provided to care-experienced young people

Young people provided feedback from the event to the Director of Children's Services informing her, that they felt this was a great way to communicate with the Directorate and would like to meet again in six months to see if topics discussed have been actioned or whether further consideration has been given to the topics suggested.  Young people were asked to make a Wishlist, and this included the following: mentorship, ring fencing portal and interview process and a leaving care package.

Further details of the young people's ask were as follows:

Mentorship: 1:1 Guided process from application to Completion - From the day a young person applies for a job they are provided with a mentor to talk through the process.  The mentor will stay with the young person through their application journey, giving them updates on where the application is and how they are doing. The mentor can also help give them valuable experience.

Ring Fencing Portal and Interview Process: It has been mentioned previously that certain companies such as Merlin offer interviews for care experienced young people.  During the application process, candidates can indicate that they are care experienced by selecting a designated checkbox, which guarantees them an interview. While this does not guarantee employment at Merlin, it allows candidates to participate in the interview process and enhance their skills.  Young people feel that Merlin's approach is their commitment to development; if a young person does not secure the position, they are invited back for a discussion regarding the interview. This feedback session focuses on constructive insights about why they were not selected and advice on how to improve in future applications.

Young people urge Lancashire County Council to consider implementing a service tailored for care-experienced young people. Frequently, when applying for jobs, they often receive no feedback, leading them to question their performance and contemplate what improvements can be made.  It was noted that this uncertainty can become overwhelming, ultimately discouraging young people from pursuing further opportunities. Having a dedicated worker to engage with them post-application would offer valuable insights and guidance, fostering their development and confidence in the job application process.

In addition to the guaranteed interviews and feedback, a second vital feature of the ring-fencing portal is its user-friendly interface for job searches within Lancashire County Council. Young people can easily select their areas of interest when searching for employment opportunities.  Young people with care experience feel it would be beneficial to have access to targeted email marketing or even a dedicated portal specifically for care leavers. This would streamline their job search process, eliminating the need to sift through numerous emails or navigate the Lancashire careers website.  They believe that establishing a designated portal or implementing targeted email marketing would significantly enhance the number of applications submitted by care leavers.

Leaving care package: Leaving care and going into Semi or independent living is a huge step in a young person's life as they feel they lose a safety net and support they have had for a long time.  They reported that they can feel alone or isolated and in need of help with different things.  It is felt that one effective way to support them during this transition is through the development of a comprehensive leaving care package, which can be prepared by Personal Advisors (PAs), Independent Reviewing Officers (IROs), or Social Workers prior to them turning 18.

Young people feel that a leaving care package should include items such as two forms of ID with one of them being their passport, their national insurance number so they can apply for jobs, health passport so they can learn things about themselves which they might not know for example their blood type or the medication they need on prescription.  They also feel it is important to have information on the Local Offer and what is available including information about the Hubs, "Get involved" process and how young people turning 18 can get involved in participation groups and get some extra support if needed and have the chance to create positive change.

It was noted that this process should happen, however, some young people feel they don't receive this information and are asking for this to become a mandatory component of the Final Care Review before reaching the age of 18.

It was noted that over the next few months, the Care Leavers Forum will work with professionals to seek feedback from other care leavers across Lancashire and add these to the Wishlist too.

Young people asked that the Board have a brief discussion on how, as Corporate Parents they can support them in achieving their asks before they meet again in six months' time.

Resolved:  That the young people were thanked for their presentation.