Celebrate Children Who Are Thriving in The Care System
The Children’s Commissioner said in an online speech that we should ‘celebrate children who are thriving in the care system.’ Anne Longfield’s speech outlines that there is still much to be done to improve the care system but also highlights that many young people are doing well.
‘For many of these children, the care system HAS protected them, and they HAVE had the stability, love and the support they needed. They have had rewarding childhoods – helped along the way by dedicated, caring professionals, who often go above and beyond what the job asks.
Of course, there are so many brilliant examples of children who have thrived in care – remarkable achievements that inspire us and that we should celebrate.
Like Steven, a PhD student at Sheffield University whose time in foster care inspired him to train as a social worker, or Freya an 18-year-old member of the Youth Parliament who speaks up about her time in care to challenge negative perceptions.’
No doubt the mainstream media (MSM) will highlight only the negative aspects from the speech and portray children’s residential care provision as all failing, all doom and gloom. Most often the MSM picture is not an accurate portrayal for all children in care nor is it a fair representation of the many care providers who go over and above in their quest to help and support our most vulnerable young people.
No one would argue that improvement in the care system needs to be made BUT shouldn’t we also be celebrating the young people who do well and the care providers who help them along the way?
