Children’s own policies for care

1. Children’s own policies for care Dr Roger Morgan OBE Children’s Rights Director for England CSCY Annual Lecture, April 2009

2. Functions of the Children’s Rights Director • Personal Statutory powers and functions • For children living away from home or receiving children’s social care services – including residential education • Ascertaining children’s views – see www.rights4me.org • Advising on rights & welfare (HMCI & DCSF) • Raising rights and welfare issues I consider significant • Individual cases … practice … policy • Hosted by Ofsted but independent

3. CRD fundamentals • Independence – not lobbying • Purely children’s views – quasi-researcher • Reports for ten year olds and Ministers

4. Consultation methods • Random element in invitations • Group discussion • Surveys – cards, secure web, symbols • Mobile phone texting • Children’s conferences • Electronic voting • Writing and discussing • National Minimum Standards assessment • 360 degree questioning • Double group assessment

5. Every Child Matters – extended by under 12s • Staying safe • Being healthy • Enjoying life, and learning • Helping others • Having enough money • Family • Friends • Enough food and drink • Fun • Love • Respect • Being happy

6. Ten additional children’s rightsfor UK Bill of Rights and Responsibilities • Always to get the help the law says I should get • Not to be bullied • To be treated as an individual, not as one of a group of children • To make and keep my own friends • To enjoy myself now, as well as to prepare for the future • To make decisions for myself on my understanding not my age • To have my views, wishes, worries and feelings asked about and thought about when people decide things for me • To do hobbies I want to do • To keep in touch with my parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters if I want to and they want to, wherever we all live • To be told about my past life if and when I wish to know

7. Bullying policy advice toadults • Adults are not as good as children at spotting vulnerable children • Any difference from the norms of the group makes you vulnerable • People compete and push others down for position in the group • Beware your “fun teasing” can be bullying (like the boys who said “we were only having a bit of fun!”) • Read the individual situation • Don’t jump in and incur retaliation for the victim • Help children fit in and counter problem differences • Help children build friendship groups (new arrivals, those left out)

8. Am I making this decision? 7 You’ve no preference – I decide 6 I decide – but I know what you want me to say 5 I can say ‘No’ to want you want, then that’s it 4 If I want to stop you, I’ve got to argue 3 You’ll only listen if I can convince you 2 I can object but what difference will that make? 1 I don’t know how this gets decided There is no decision about ME, it’s ‘policy for all’

9. Assessing Children’s Understanding in Decisonmaking Once it’s fully explained – does the young person understand: • The question? • The reasons behind it? • What the alternatives are? • What will happen if they decide one way or the other? • Can they weigh things up for themselves? • Can they say what they want for themselves? • Can they keep the same view, not keep changing it?

10. Corporate Parents Receive into Care • Do this gradually if possible • Tell me why ! • See if other people in my family can look after me • Don’t dump me with strangers • Keep me informed – even when not much is happening • Tell me and involve me in decisions on where I am going • Keep my family contacts if you can • Don’t fit me into “things that are good for all children” – like being adopted

11. Corporate Parents make Placements • In placing us have a RANGE of placements • Enough to give us a CHOICE of at least two real alternatives whenever we are being placed • Help us into new placements gradually, and with information – including photos • Keep checking our settling in very closely • Have a BACKUP placement and use it if the first one isn’t working out really well

12. Placement out of Authority • Most frequent casework issue children contact us about • “Change of policy” – “no more money” – “was only for two years” • “I’m settled here now” - “I’m doing well at school” – “no-one is listening to me saying I don’t want to go” • Once you’ve placed away, let the child stay until it’s in their best interests to come back • Statutory duty to take their wishes AND FEELINGS properly into account • An out of authority placement is a needs-long commitment

13. Children’s Councils • Came second in children’s voting on ‘Care Matters’ • “Great idea, but I probably won’t be on it” • Giving the quiet child a say: • In decisions about own care • In service monitoring • In service planning • Raising delivery failure

14. Children’s Assessment of Corporate Parenting in 2008 • 57% worry about their safety in residential special school • 40% worry about their safety in children’s homes • 36% worry about their safety in foster care • 59% often or always bullied in residential special school • 12% often or always bullied in childrens’ homes • 9% often or always bullied in foster care Children’s Care Monitor 2008

15. Children’s Assessment of Corporate Parenting in 2008 • 52% usually/always asked opinions in residential special school • 57% usually/always asked opinions in children’s homes • 61% usually/always asked opinions in foster care • 56% usually/always make a difference in residential special school • 41% usually/always make a difference in children’s homes • 53% usually/always make a difference in foster care

16. Children’s Assessment of Corporate Parenting in 2008 • 72% had a care plan • 75% had some or a big say in their care plan • 66% fully agreed with their care plans • 79% of care plans were being fully kept to

17. Children’s Assessment of Corporate Parenting in 2008 • 41% always, 31% usually, told beforehand about major changes in their lives • 9% never or not usually told • 65% of complaints made were sorted out fairly (NB!) • 71% said their suggestions were considered fairly

18. Children’s Assessment of Corporate Parenting in 2008 • 81% in care rated their education good or very good • 75% in care said they were doing well/very well in education • 84% said placement is the right one • 88% rated their care good or very good

19. Are changes in children’s best interests? • Was your last placement change in your best interests? • In 2008: 69% yes, 15% no • In 2009: 69% yes, 15% no • Was your last change of school in your best interests? • In 2008: 58% yes, 22% no (20% not sure) • In 2009: 61% yes, 19% no (20% not sure)

20. Children’s proposals for content of Regulations under the Children and Young Persons Act 2008 • Monthly visiting by social workers • Being seen in private by social workers • Independent Visitors to be care experienced • IROs to keep in touch with child and be powerful Children’s Views Report: ”Future Rules”

21. Children’s policies endorsed by Select Committee (1) • Social work practices to meet wishes of children about relationship with their social worker • Try to find and support kinship care • Improve placement supply • Don’t dismiss the residential care option • Don’t compromise placements for cost • Take children’s views into account re value for money • Make the right decisions for indivdual children, without targets for numbers in care • Spell out what happens if authorities break Pledge promises to children

22. Children’s policies endorsed by Select Committee (2) • Consult children additionally to Children in Care Councils • Strengthen role of Independent Reviewing Officers, separately from advocates – including independently recording children’s views in care decisionmaking • Provide advocates for care decisions as well as complaints • Avoid children leaving care too early • National Standards for leaving care and assure quality of care leavers’ accommodation • Apply Care Matters fully to asylum seeking children • Include children’s satisfaction in assessments / inspections of the care system • Include children’s views and satisfaction in the Ministerial Stocktake of care

23. Delivering entitlement Children and Select Committee agree “The highest priority on ensuring that every child gets everything they are entitled to”

24. Escaping Myth Policies Children and Government are agreed that children in care should be permitted to stay overnight at friends’ houses, with their carers making the same risk assessment judgements as parents do Sleepovers are not, and never should have been, banned for lack of CRB checks on friends’ parents

25. Self assessment states good lockable provision for children’s possessions to counter stealing. Children say they can’t access new lockable provision easily, don’t therefore use it, and there is a problem of stealing. Laundry returns clothing clean. Laundry keeps losing socks. Intent and outcome

26. To impact on children, policies need to be clear, sufficient, known, implemented and effective POLICY: “There is a policy to keep toilets clean” PRACTICE: “Cleaners clean toilets daily” OUTCOME: “Toilets are clean” “What about the broken locks though?” CHILD’S EXPERIENCE: “Toilets all OK. No problems with toilets” Policies etc …

27. Message from a Care Leaver (BeHeard mobile phone texting panel) “I want to be free of my past, better than my present, and always ambitious for my future. The only thing that can help me get there is funding and my own will power”