Young councillors get a taste of government
Two of Warwickshire’s Children in Care councillors have been shown the ropes this week by a member of the county council’s Cabinet.
Matt Langsford and Dan Cherrie, who have both been children looked after by the authority, spent four days assisting Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Warwickshire County Council’s Cabinet member for Children, Young People and Families, in carrying out her duties.
During their time with Cllr Seccombe, the pair contributed to a meeting of senior managers, met ward constituents and attended briefings on many areas of work including the Youth Offending Service.
Matt, aged 17 and from Dordon, and Dan, who is 18 and lives in Atherstone, are inaugural members of the new Children in Care Council, which has been set up to provide a voice to the county’s children and young people in care.
Cllr Seccombe said both Matt and Dan acquitted themselves well and predicts that they will be successful councillors in their own right.
She added: “This is a good news story about foster kids getting involved in the community and giving them a voice and a positive experience of the local authority. I have really enjoyed their company during the week and I also learned a huge amount from them.”
Matt currently works part time and is planning a career in the army. He once lived on the streets but is now in a stable foster care placement through the county council and charity Barnardo’s Staying Put scheme.
Dan attends King Edward College sixth form and intends to go onto university and train to be a scientist. He currently lives in independent lodgings supported by the county council.
They said the week was very beneficial feel it has helped equip them to run their own council. And they particularly enjoyed a tour of the technology in the county council’s IT department.
Through the Children in Care Council, children and young people in care have a direct say in the development of services that they use.
The Children in Care Council acts as an overview and scrutiny committee for all children in care and leaving care and will help to shape the county council policy for the future.
This initiative aims to help local authorities to address the gaps that exist between the quality of lives of children and young people in care and those who are not.
Last year the Warwickshire Pledge was presented to the council’s Cabinet.
The pledge includes a series of measures designed to improve the lives of young people, including giving them more choices and involvement in the decisions affecting their futures and access to out-of-hours help from social care staff.