Agenda item

(1).         The Chairman of the Select Committee, Mrs Wiltshire, welcomed Annabelle Taylor (Bella), Kahleigh Jenner and Matthew Roberts (Matt), Apprentices with VSK', to the meeting.

 

(2).         Bella, Kahleigh and Matt, the Members of the Select Committee and Officers introduced themselves.

 

(3).         Bella, Kahleigh and Matt had received questions and themes that the Select Committee were investigating in preparation for the meeting.

 

Please introduce yourselves

 

(4).         Bella advised that she was a VSK Apprentice and the Chairperson of the Our Children and Young People’s Council (OCYPC).  Matt said that he was a VSK Apprentice in the 16+ Service.  He had been in the Army and had attended the OCYPC.  Kahleigh advised that she too was a VSK Apprentice.

 

In your view, how effective and beneficial are KCC apprenticeships?

 

(5).         Bella said that the opportunity to be offered a position working within such a large well known organisation was truly outstanding.  She said that she was not able to achieve her potential whilst at school or college, so when she had the chance to apply for her current apprenticeship she went for it.  She felt lucky to be able to study whilst earning, receiving vital experience and knowledge in the working world.

 

What are you doing?

 

(6).         Bella explained that she was providing children in care the opportunity they might not receive.  As she had been in care she was able to build up trust with children in care as they knew that “she had been there”, being young helped too.  Bella advised that the role covered the whole of Kent with 3 apprentices in West Kent and 3 apprentices in East Kent but they all worked as one Team.  The Team helped with developing the Personal Education Plans and had been trained so that they could offer mentoring and counselling.  There were also activity days.  Bella said that she had run her first residential activity day and hoped to do more.

 

Who offers you support in your role?

 

(7).         The apprentices advised that they had support from Jo Carpenter, VSK.

 

(8).         Matt advised that he had been volunteering before he applied for the apprenticeship.  He was looking forward to applying for a position within the 18+ Services for people who live in care in the future and would continue to study for the Level 3 apprenticeship.

 

(9).         The apprentices explained that the Level 2 apprenticeship, which they were all studying for at present, was for 12 months and the Level 3 apprenticeship was for 18 months.

 

 

(10).      Bella said that she wanted to continue with her studies to achieve Level 3 as her aim was to work in children’s homes.

 

(11).      Kahleigh advised that she was not sure what she wanted to do in the future.

 

 What are the problems most often raised and how can Members help to resolve them?

 

(12).      Matt said that housing was an issue as there was often a lot of change and sometimes at short notice giving no time to adjust. He advised that frequent changes in Social Workers disrupted their lives too.  He considered that children in care should be given notice to prepare if they were changing addresses so that they could say goodbye to friends. Bella said that some are given a choice but they lack experience of making choices and that is unsettling.

 

(13).      Kahleigh advised that a lot of people did not understand what was meant by “Supported Lodgings” and many thought that they would be on their own with no support.

 

Do you help people  to solve their problems?

 

(14).      Matt explained that it would depend on the problem  but that they had an understanding of what they could deal with.  Bella said that it was a unique Team and if one of them could not deal with a problem there was always one of the Team that could help or know who to direct them too.

 

Does KCC do enough?

 

(15).      Bella said that the OCYPS invited Philip Segurola,Acting Director for Specialist Children's Services, to speak at one of its meetings. It was not until he left the meeting that members of the OCYPS opened up and  raised issues including the following:

·         The change of Social Workers and schools were a real stress and was an important issue in transition work.

·         The OCYPS agreed to invite a Social Worker to a future meeting to explain their role.  The apprentices considered that the role of the social worker was not always understood by the children and the difficult decisions that they had to make were not fully realised.

·         Peers, teachers and adults did not know what it was like to be a child in care.  The apprentices stated that many children had to be adults as children.  They also had to put up with jokes being made about them.

·         A lot of children felt that their personal belongings etc were not treated with respect.

·         Then felt labelled and less was expected of them

·         Young people, 16+ and 18+, were worried about moving out of care.  You were considered lucky if your Carers were supportive when you had to leave care but this did not apply to all.

·         Many young people were unable to budget properly and needed to be taught.

 

Foster Carers and IROs mentioned that meetings during school time were disruptive.  Did you find this?

 

(16).      Matt replied yes and explained that there was a lot of disruption to children in care’s education.  A lot of children in care said that they wanted a say in whether they moved to a new school or not and to be involved in their placements.

 

Was there too much switching of schools because of where the Foster Carers were based?

 

(17).      The response was unanimously, yes.

 

Does KCC need to do more to make it clear that care leavers are not on their own? What can KCC do?

 

(18).      Bella said that the support was good but it was needed most when moving on. Bella suggested that the best idea would be to go back to the beginning and start again.  There were things that were working but equally there were things that could ruin lives.  Bella advised that once a young person had an idea and they felt that they were not being listened to, they just do not speak.  She considered that young people needed to speak out more and be encouraged to voice their views.

 

When Care Leavers leave Care how much help do they receive?  How much help did you receive?

 

(19).      Bella reflected that she had a bad experience.  Matt advised that when he was in supported lodgings the provider was not supportive and expected him to know everything but it took him time to find his feet.  He considered that it was about educating young people on what moving out meant and how it was going to affect them.  He suggested that Foster Carers should be preparing the children in their care for when they leave care in such things as how to work a washing machine etc.

 

Is there support when you move there?

 

(20).      Bella shared that she was not ready to move out when she was told to.  She reflected that when she was 19 years old if she was still in her family home she would not have had to move out.  Her 26 year old sister was still living at the family home.  She was grateful that her Foster Carer changed her dining room into a bedroom so that she could stay there until she was ready to be independent (The Foster Carer would have lost income if she had given up a bedroom to Bella).  She refused to enter into supported lodgings and moved in with her then boyfriend. Bella mentioned the difficulty she had in raising the deposit and money for kitting out a flat.  She said she managed to borrow £700 but lost the flat in the same week.

 

(21).      Bella suggested that it would be helpful if there was an agreement for care leavers to have a package of white goods to support them in leaving care.

 

 

(22).      Kahleigh stated that she lost her accommodation at Christmas as her rent account fell behind.  She was evicted.  She would have been on the streets but for her friend taking her in.  Kahleigh had to borrow money to get back into her home.

 

(23).      Kahleigh suggested that the term “Supported Lodgings gave the wrong impression.

 

How many placements have you had?

 

(24).      Matt said that he had been at 20 different addresses.

 

(25).      Bella said that she had been at 31 different addresses since she was 7 years old, which worked out at 3 per year.  She stated that she was quite an angry child.  Foster Carers would not put up with her and she would be moved on.  She said that she realise that if she “kicked off” she would be move on. 

 

(26).      Kahleigh said that she had lived nowhere for more than 1½ years since she was 13 years, she was now 21 year old.

 

Did you feel part of the Foster Carers’ family?

 

(27).      Bella considered that there were good carers and those who did it for the money.  In one placement she had the experience of the Foster Carers pointing out a cupboard that they had stocked with things only she would use and in another placement the Foster Carers went above and beyond in caring for her.

 

(28).      Matt said that he did not want to insult anyone.  He felt that a lot was dependent on the relationship with the Social Worker.  Some Social Workers just did their job.

 

You said that you would review everything, is that from the time you were taken into care?

 

(29).      Bella replied “Just in general”.

 

In your experience when the Foster Family went on holiday did they take you?

(30).      Bella advised that this did not always happen.  She had been in good placements where it did but when it did not she would be placed in respite care, a strangers house, for the time the foster family was away.  Most of that time was spent alone in her bedroom.  She suggested that there were the odd cases, especially if you were young enough, when you would be placed with the same respite carer each time.

 

(31).      Jo Carpenter, VSK, came to the meeting table.  She advised that the apprentices acted as a support system coming in untrained and unskilled.

 

 

(32).      Jo advised that in a previous role she managed an apprenticeship scheme.  She stated that moving to independent living and getting a fulltime job was difficult and employers were oblivious to those facts.  She considered that holding down a fulltime job, looking at flats and going to the housing benefit office etc was why some of the care leavers did not succeed.  15 apprentices had come through the scheme.

 

What can be done?

 

(33).      Jo stressed that the assisted apprenticeship scheme was fantastic.  Some apprentices may not have had a foot in the door otherwise.  She said that some were real rough diamonds and they had to go back to the drawing board with them.  They did not have the level of understanding that you would expect. Members could do more within the local community to encourage employers to see these vulnerable childrenas worthy of a chance.

 

(34).      Matt mentioned the Gateways and Council Tax Bands explaining that some were not clear of the Band care leavers were in.  They were saying Band D but it should be Band B.  He felt that this should be transparent.

 

(35)     The Chairman and Members complimented Bella, Kahleigh and Matt saying that they were inspiring and thanked them for attending the meeting.