Issue - meetings

The Committee received a report which provided an update on the Youth Council and Children in Care Council for the period July 2021 to September 2022. 

Shinderpaul Bhangal, (Delivery Lead, Voice Influence & Change) introduced the report and highlighted the work undertaken with the Care Leavers Forum, Children in Care Council, SEND and Parent / Carer Voice.  He also updated Members on the new way of working that had come into force in April 2022 and advised that newly recruited staff members were settling in well and beginning to understand their roles and responsibilities.

Shinderpaul Bhangal explained the key areas of interest including a recent Cross Ministerial Board Meeting that took place in July 2021, the Ofsted Inspection of Local Area Children’s Service in November 2021 and the positive feedback received from both.  Further highlights included:

·       Brothers and Sisters Event in April 2022

·       Children & Families Conference & Watch Your Words – Improving Language in Care July 2022

·       Apprenticeship Guide for Care Experienced Apprentices 16+ August 2022

·       Refugee Celebration Week June 2022

·       3 Short Films June 2022

·       Warwickshire Youth Conference April 2022

·       A recently developed Social Inclusion Charter

Shinderpaul Bhangal explained that without young people’s involvement, this work would not be shaped the way it was.

The Chair welcomed a number of representatives from the Youth Council and Children in Care Council who were attending the meeting virtually. 

Tom Barker on behalf of the Care Leavers Forum;

Ollie Tessler, Children in Care Council;

Ian Donnachie, IMPACT forum for young people with SEND;

Alice Battersby and Ruth Morley Brown (also known as Wren), Youth Council.

Members noted that the representative from Unaccompanied Young People, Eliza Deng, had been unable to attend and Umar Teerab (Family Support Worker) would update the meeting on her behalf.

Tom Barker addressed the meeting on behalf of the Care Leavers Forum and described his involvement helping to organise a recent trip to Wembley.  Other activities he had been involved in included Care Experience Week, which had involved a Surf Challenge, interviewing the next generation of staff and attending a recent Police Panel.  Areas that he felt needed improving were consistent mental health support which should be regular and include daily check-ins, help regarding isolation and how young people could be helped to be set up for life with support regarding rights and entitlements.

Ollie Tessler, 12, spoke on behalf of the Children in Care Council.  He described a recent trip to the Harry Potter Studios and explained that his favourite part had been the coach trip.  Ollie stated that he had enjoyed meeting other young people and making friends, some of whom he was still in contact with and had met up with again.  Ollie had also attended the relaunch of the Children in Care Council which had circus themed activities as well as an exercise to write down the things that were important to him.  He was looking forward to the Christmas party when he could meet up with the friends he had made previously.  In April, Ollie  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3