As well as celebrating the groups’ achievements, it’s a great chance for the Corporate Parents to meet young people and hear first-hand their views, opinions, and fresh ideas about the care they receive from Kent County Council. This year, the event took place on the 1st August in Maidstone.
What is a Corporate Parent?
The aim of the day was to explore what young people understand by the term ‘Corporate Parents’ and how Kent County Council can be the best corporate parent possible to all children in care and care leavers in Kent.
The young people had a chance to create their Corporate Parenting ‘top 10’, some of these included stability, to be given choices and to be listened to.
The young people also added their own feedback about what they would like Kent County Council and their Corporate Parents to do better, some of the things they said were:
- Corporate Parents to attend more days/events with Children in Care
- To be treated as a part of a family
- Greater consistency
- To widen opportunities for Children in Care and Care Leavers
The Participation Team will use the young people’s ideas and feedback to create a Young Person’s Guide to Corporate Parenting.
Then it was time for the fun part - the outdoor team game activities which included KCC staff and young people taking part in giant inflatable darts, limbo and a large inflatable climbing wall. Thank you to everyone who attended – your view and ideas are shaping the services that you and other children in care and care leavers receive!
If you are interested in joining one of the Children in Care Councils or just having your say, get in touch at VSK_Participation@kent.gov.uk.
posted by Mark Butcher