Youngsters having a say on Walsall care service

Vulnerable children in care in Walsall used to struggle to get listened to and had little input into the service which made crucial decisions about their lives.

But all that has changed since the Walsall Children in Care Council (CICC), set up to represent the view of youngsters under local authority care, started having more input into the decision-making process.

Care bosses say young people have had a direct influence on issues including exemptions in paying council tax from the age of 18 until 25, the setting up of a base where they can meet and access vital services and even the appointment of senior managers to the service.

Teenagers who are still in the care system said the change in emphasis has given them the opportunity to get their voices heard.

Councillor Tim Wilson said the changes started in 2017 when the authority’s corporate parenting board became a constituted council committee, following a critical Ofsted report which slammed its impact and direction.

It was then decided that young people engagement and involving the CICC to have a greater say in how the service was run was imperative to how it would operate.

Councillor Wilson said: “It was decided that the first substantive item of the newly constituted board would be engagement and the opportunity for young people to come and raise any issues and make any positive or negative comments on how we can improve.

“This would allow members of the board to be guided into making the right decision by the young people as opposed to decisions made by elected members thinking its the right decision.

“We’ve had young people come along and raise issues. Some compliment, some criticise – all are positive in my view because it gives elected members the opportunity to hear from young people and make an informed decision.”

Current looked after teenagers, who only wanted to be identified as ‘Lee’ and ‘Ebony’, said the change in thinking has made a hugely positive impact on their lives.

Lee said: “CICC gets our voices over and not a lot of kids are used to that.

“The CICC is a good way for us to put our views across. We didn’t have anything like this before and things are different due to the support we receive.”

Ebony added: “It helps us make friends and express our views on what’s good about the service, problems and issues and overall on how well it’s doing. I feel like I’m listened to better within this and get my voice heard by others.

“I think we have helped a lot of young people. We’ve talked to them, done events and helped them get their motivational skills up and communicate better with others.”

Jivan Sembi, Walsall Council’s group manager for looked after children, said it was the CICC which championed for council tax relief and a new base which resulted in it coming to fruition.

She added the young people have also conducted job interview panels with potential new officers and given their feedback to be taken into account when appointments are finally made.

She said: “What they have done is very much shape the service. It’s about how they want the service to actually work for all the young people. From recruitment of staff, how it should look like, what sort of people they want in the service – they have been at the centre of that.”

Children’s champion Michelle Cummings added: “They have a decision on who gets the job so they feel quite valued really.

“It is really important, it gives them skills and knowledge and it is something they can put on their CV.”

Not all the feedback senior decision makers get back is positive but they said the warts-and-all assessment of what they do is vital for the service to evolve.

Jivan Sembi said: “They give us very tough messages. When we get it right, we get it right but when we get it wrong – it’s important for us to hear that. Our job is to make it work for them and not for us.

“It’s very easy for us to get things working from our point of view. It’s more important for us to hear when we haven’t got things right. That’s how we improve ourselves.

“We want to be the best we can but when they tell us we are the best we are is when you have the sense we are doing the right thing for them.”

The impact of the approach has been recognised in the residential care home sector too.

Amanda Walton, residential childcare worker, said: “What I see is a family and a real culture. Everyone is engaging everybody else.

“We as adults don’t put across their message as well as kids themselves do. I’ve seen such a change for the better.”