As the Care Leavers Champion, I see my role to advocate for our young people transitioning out of care, ensuring their needs and voices are prioritized across the council and partner organizations. This involves working closely with the Cared For Children and Care Leavers Committee, where we can contribute to help shape strategic decisions and policies affecting care leavers, particularly in areas like housing, education, health and finance.
My key priorities include:
· Championing the voice of care leavers: Ensuring their experiences and feedback inform council decisions;
· Developing and monitoring strategy: Collaborating with care leavers to create pledges and track progress on key initiatives; and
· Advocacy and accountability: Liaising across council departments and partners to ensure services meet care leavers' needs, while also providing high support and high challenge to the Children and Families Committee, to ensure improvements.
My pledge is to ensure that our care leavers receive the support and opportunities they need to thrive in adulthood.