Contact: Howard Firth ext: 5738
Graham Wright 7263

1 Introduction

1.1 The Hampshire Care Action Team

`CAT' has been running for six years and its membership is drawn from young people who are, or who have recently been, in the care of Hampshire County Council. Its main roles are to support and facilitate representation of children and young people `looked after' in order to ensure that there is a `direct voice' which can be used by elected Members, managers and social workers to better inform policy and practice. CAT has some fifteen core members, seven of which are bursary holders.

2 How did the Care Action Team start?

2.1 In 1994 residents in two Children's Homes in the north of the county, were dissatisfied with their education provision and decided to do something about it.

2.2 They created an "Action Team" - a group of young people in care who wanted to harness their experiences and help other young people to have access to better services.

2.3 The group also created a support network for young people to talk in a safe environment about their concerns and fears.

2.4 In the early days the main focus of the group was lobbying at the House of Commons; they were invited to the DfES to tell Ministers and civil servants now in their view children in care being failed nationally.

2.5 This work was instrumental in creating national policy and introducing the DfES Guidance, "The Education of Young People in Public Care", which has benefited the education of young people throughout the Country. Subsequently CAT members were invited to launch the guidance at the LGA Annual Conference alongside David Blunkett, MP, then Secretary of State for Education.

3 Developing CAT

3.1 From this start a group of 20 young people living in foster care and residential care refocused their work to look at wider care issues, including

1- The way Social Services move young people between placements

2- The content and the way that Statutory Reviews are conducted

3- Pregnancy and support

4- Young people and leaving care

5- The way that the County Council found it really hard to listen (and act), in the views of young people.

4 Quality Protects

4.1 This government programme facilitated improvements, with its particular focus on young people's participation, and on corporate parenting. The group was kept extremely busy helping the County Council improve and develop services. In recognition of the commitment and value of young people's contributions, Quality Protects funding was used to create 7 bursary posts of £750 per year - this unique and nationally acclaimed initiative means that the County Council is able to recognise a number of young people for the work they do, and to be able to ask them to task responsibility for key areas.

4.2 This year their achievements have included-

4.2.1 To change the overnight stay policy

4.2.2 To train 500 designated teachers

4.2.3 To join interview panels when appointing SWs

4.2.4 To advise Government ministers and Opposition MP's on the mental health needs of young people leaving care.

4.2.5 To speak at national conferences

4.2.6 To write articles for `Community Care' - the national social care journal.

4.2.7 Contributions towards social work training at Southampton University

4.2.8 Work on the housing needs of Care Leavers

4.2.9 To run participation programmes for Children Looked After, including an organisation and participation day for "The Children's Fund" plan.

4.2.10 Meeting with the SSI Inspection Team during its inspection of children's services in Hampshire

4.2.11 Contributions to both Education and Social Services Best Value Reviews.

5 The priorities for 2003/2004

5.1 The group have set two key priorities

5.1.2 The development of a charter mark (CAT Mark) which will be awarded to County Council services and to those in the voluntary sector which deliver a good service to vulnerable groups of young people.

5.1.3 To improve the health of Looked After young people; particularly the unmet mental health needs of adolescents.

6 County Council Support of CAT

6.1 The team are championed by the Executive Member for Social Care.

6.2 The Group now has its own office base.

6.3 Included in the Improvement Plan of the Best Value Review of Services for Children Looked After was a Participation Officer post designed to better support and widen work with Hampshire's children and young people across all age groups. Recruitment is underway.

Conclusion

6 Members will be aware of work underway across the County Council following the recent Best Value Review of Youth Services. This includes developments in the field of consultation and participation in which Social Services and the CAT are involved. One key aim being to include our children and young people in the full range of opportunities for the participation and consultation of Hampshire's children and young people as a whole, whilst at the same time continuing to inform managers, staff, and Elected Members in their role as corporate parents.

Recommendations

1 That Members of this committee, acknowledge the contribution of the Hampshire Care Action Team.

2 That the contents of this report are noted.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Documents

The Following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt of confidential information as defined in the Act.