Social Work Week is the perfect time of year to acknowledge and appreciate the vital role that social workers play in our communities. Your dedication, compassion, and tireless efforts to support and protect vulnerable children and families are truly commendable. It's a time to reflect on the significant impact you make in improving the lives of others and how we can work together to try and resolve day to day barriers to the best that social work can be.
Every social worker deserves this recognition for all your outstanding contributions to supporting families and protecting children.
Your resilience, kindness, and expertise are central to effective practice, whatever the context; and through your knowledge and skill you can make a profound difference in the lives of children, young people and their families and communities every single day.
The themes of this year’s Social Work Week are learning, connecting, and influencing and present a significant opportunity to acknowledge the importance of building a connected workforce, with a diversity of thought that enables you to effectively address the complex and multifaceted issues that children, young people and families encounter.
In Social Work Week, I’m keen that you use the time together, to share good practice and most importantly, enhance your skills and expand your knowledge to continually improve the support you offer to the children, young people and families that you work with.
There is lots of change on the horizon. In December 2023, the Department for Education published several documents, marking the first opportunity to ask all parts of the system to respond to the vision set out in ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’.
These publications, supported by a series of local pathfinders and pilots, will enable us to start to move closer to supporting families at an earlier stage, to introduce improved arrangements for child protection, and to promote the stronger use of data and evidence across children’s social care.
I’d encourage you to read and reflect on the documents above and what they might mean for your practice and for practice within your local area. Also take a look at the Foundations website which is full of information about best evidence when working with children and families. Only last week they published the results of a successful therapeutic programme for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children; and very recently have published groundbreaking research into family group decision making, which I would love to see in action across all local authorities.
I hope you have a great week! I am out and about so will definitely see some of you. Always remember to connect with your Principal Social Workers and your Practice Leaders. They are in very frequent contact directly through their respective national networks, with both myself and the department. Hearing your views about social work practice helps make our policy making better.
Further information
As joint authors of this blog, Justin, John and Professor Chitsabeasan share an update on action being taken from across the sector to improve support for children and young people in complex situations with multiple needs.
The task and finish Group
The last resort High Court measure, which allows children to be placed under severe restrictions because of concerns about their welfare, has been used to deprive 1,249 children of their liberty in England and Wales in 12 months up to June 2023. Deprivation of Liberty (DoL) orders vary from case to case, but generally they restrict a child’s freedom and confine them to one location. These children are some of the most vulnerable in our society and we must do all that we can to keep them safe and help them fulfil their potential.
Justin Russell said: “It is so important that we come together across our sectors to ensure we are doing everything we can to ensure our most vulnerable children receive the care they need - and we are committed to coming together as key members and leaders in the community to achieve this.“
Following the conclusion of the Deprivation of Liberty Court pilot, the Government established a new task and finish group to improve the outcomes of children who are in complex situations with multiple needs and are currently, or at risk of, being deprived of their liberty.
The task and finish group has agreed to several independent research reports aimed at increasing the government’s understanding of the issues local areas are facing when designing, commissioning, and delivering suitable provision for children with complex trauma. These reports will be a vital first step in supporting the development of evidence based, therapeutic, and integrated co-commissioned models of care and provision which meet the needs of these children.
The Office of the Children’s Commissioner is also leading a project to hear directly from children who have been deprived of their liberty, their parents and the professionals that support them.
The task and finish group will draw from the findings of these reports to develop and pilot evidence-based models of safe, therapeutic care that delivers integrated, consistent, and collaborative practices for these children and young people, alongside other guidance and resources that are informed by evidence, existing good practice, and most importantly, by what children, young people and parents/carers say they want and would find helpful.
Principles of care for children with complex needs and circumstances
One of the key aims of the task and finish group and our policy work is to support local areas to commission joint and shared care across sectors, that delivers integrated and consistent practices for these children and young people. It is vital that across the system, we can bring together safe, age-appropriate Ofsted-registered accommodation, with co-produced packages of care and plans to support young people back into their community.
The Nuffield Family Justice Observatory has recently published its principles of care framework for children with complex needs and circumstances. The framework sets out 5 principles of care based around these needs which practitioners and professionals from across the sector may wish to practise in their work. Embedding these 5 principles will help us to improve outcomes and in turn reduce reliance on the inherent jurisdiction of the High Court to deprive these children and young people of their liberty.
What can be done now?
Across England there are local areas where the NHS and local authorities, with support from their Integrated Care Board, are working together to swiftly identify need and improve outcomes and accountability. For example, the Hope Service in Surrey provides a multiagency service for young people who are experiencing complex mental health, emotional, social and behavioural challenges.
The Framework for Integrated Care supports the NHS Long Term Plan commitment to invest in additional support for the most vulnerable children who have complex needs. The emphasis of the Framework is on complex and often fractured systems, across multiple agencies, working together for the individual child and family/carers.
Further reading and resources:
Case studies and shared learning from the 12 vanguard sites that are implementing the Framework
NHS England
Nuffield Family Justice Observatory
Local Government Association
TRAINING RESOURCES
]]>In this blog Hayley, Yvonne and Adelaide share their personal experiences of being kinship carers, from overcoming bumps along the way to helping the children and young people thrive.
Hayley
We’ve been kinship carers to Harry for over eight years. There was a lot of delay and uncertainty for Harry in the beginning, which has had a huge long-term impact on him. He has a disability which means he needs a lot of support and attends a special school part-time. Harry is not related to us; we were his mum’s boyfriend’s parents. He was placed with my husband and I at the age of two by children’s services, at 40 minutes notice, as his mum was having a mental health breakdown and needed medical attention. He arrived in a car seat, with very little else. We know now that this is the usual way that most kinship families are made – a loving response to a crisis situation.
Our journey has been an incredible learning curve, and at times we were shocked by the complexity and overwhelming nature of the process of going through children’s services procedures and the court. Looking back, we would all have benefited from more support.
Harrys’ older sister was brought up by his mum’s parents. From the beginning we worked together with them to ensure that Harry sees his mum, who now has ongoing treatment from mental health services, his sister, and the wider family, regularly. It just so happened that we were there for him at a time when he needed a family with the time and patience to meet his many needs. His Mum and Grandma often tell him that he’s lucky to have two mums and a dad. He knows he is so very loved. And isn’t that the most important thing in life?
Yvonne
My name is Yvonne and I’m a full-time kinship carer for my 12-year-old granddaughter, Caitlyn, who has high level, complex needs. She was placed in my care 4 months old. It became pretty evident at an early stage that she wasn’t meeting her development milestones. After seeking medical help, Caitlyn was diagnosed with FASD, ASD, ADHD, and developmental trauma and attachment.
As a result of her diagnosis, I enrolled in multiple courses to learn more about her conditions and the special care that she requires. These really helped me feel in a better place to confidently meet all of her needs.
My family unit faced many challenges due to court proceedings. My daughter choosing not to see Caitlyn also meant that we as a family have sadly lost a daughter and sister. However I must add, that despite our journey being full of bumps along the way, I wouldn’t change any of it.
Caitlyn is now in a specialist setting, which is nurturing to her needs. It fills me with joy now, to see her absolutely thriving, because of the hard work and dedication I put into our lives to ensure she has the right support. I’ve also since used the knowledge I’ve collected along the way to volunteer with our local authority to help other parents / carers in a similar position.
Adelaide
I’m Adelaide and I’m ‘mum’ to a wonderful 15-year-old boy with additional needs who I’ve cared for since he was 3. Biologically he is my great-great nephew. I have two adult daughters who are extremely supportive but as they live independently, he and I are the ‘team’.
I became involved in his care proceedings at my family’s request. I supported his parents in every way possible. However, the court decided that he couldn’t be returned to them or placed with anyone else in our family. Suddenly, I was asked to turn my whole life upside down and care for him.
It’s not been an easy journey and there many challenges along the way. I discovered Family Rights Group which has an excellent, free, and confidential advice line. Their support has been invaluable to me.
If I had one piece of advice to give to a prospective kinship carer, as harsh as it may be, it would be that you have to be prepared to do it alone. It’s great when others can help you, but life can get in the way and you may have days, months or even years, when no one is able to come and help you.
Another essential point is that as a special guardian, you have to, “guard” your child against anything that might cause them harm. Many of them have experienced early life trauma so it’s your responsibility to ensure as much as possible, that certain situations and contact with others is not re-triggering for them.
But whenever I’m down, I look at him. He is imperfectly perfect, and I’m so glad I decided to care for him. He has definitely changed my life and hopefully, every single day I am positively changing his.
Further reading
Read about the national Kinship Strategy ‘Championing Kinship Care’
Helping families Helping children - Family Rights Group (frg.org.uk)
]]>In this blog we hear from two members of the FJYPB who tell us about their personal childhood experiences, and how they use this later in their life to advocate for children's voices.
The importance of keeping children and young people updated – written by an anonymous FJYPB member
When I was going through proceedings regarding my parents' divorce, only my parents told me what was going on, which had a big impact in how I digested the situation. My mum had to use a penny chart on an A3 piece of paper to describe the custody arrangement to us, which I now understand must have been very difficult for her given that she had tried to limit the shared custody. My dad would tell me every tiny detail or ‘update’ in the proceedings in a way that was not suitable for a 7 year old.
I wish there had been someone ‘neutral’ to tell us what was happening. Yes, I was 7, but I remember and reflect a lot about how much easier it would have made the situation for me. I was asked my wishes and feelings, but no one told me what was happening or how my views were going to be considered. All I knew was the outcome, which my mum told me about.
As a member of the FJYPB I advocate for children to be kept updated throughout their personal proceedings because I know what it feels like to not be, to be ‘ignored’ by the services which are supposed to offer you support and guidance. It makes me happy now when I hear of individuals or services who are working hard to make sure children now are kept updated in an appropriate manner as I know they will appreciate that, as little me would have.
Importance of trust and building relationships – written by Oli, FJYPB Member
No matter how old a child or young person is when going through family court proceedings, they will always benefit from being able trust to professionals. When I went through family court, I always felt a certain distance from everything going on. This could have been for a multitude of reasons; I wasn't reading any reports and I wasn't sitting in the court room. But what always made it feel warmer, and more inclusive was trust.
Having a trusted relationship throughout a proceeding can have a hugely positive impact on a child or young person's mental health and help guide them through an otherwise daunting time. As well as having a positive impact on mental health, children and young people may well feel more inclined to contribute to their proceedings with the right support and guidance, as they recognise that what they say is heard. They would also feel a lot more secure having someone with experience of family court on their side. Someone who they can confide in and offload any negative emotions that may have been pulling them down and affecting them in any way at all. Ultimately as long as there is trust, trust to talk and express your wishes, there will be fair justice for all of those involved.
You can keep up to date with the work of the FJYPB, download a free debut book ‘In Our Shoes’ and free top tips for professionals
The Family Justice Unit within DfE work on supporting and improving the family justice system. The FJYPB also sit on the Family Justice Board, which is co-chaired by DfE and MoJ ministers. The Family Justice Board is the primary forum for setting direction for the family justice system and overseeing performance.
]]>Social work is a profession supporting change for people and families who are vulnerable and facing challenges in life. I think at the heart of all social workers, managers, support workers, foster carers, etc, is a hopefulness and a desire to affect change.
As social work has advanced, though, I wonder if the intervention aspect has been pushed down the priority list behind other tasks and duties, like workloads, recording, assessment, report writing, other statutory responsibilities.
With Solution Focused Practice, social work becomes more about intervening again.
Solution Focused Practice
So, what is Solution Focused Practice? This practice uses language, questions, and a stance which allows the people we talk with to reclaim their power, their strengths, their resources, and their change. It’s because of these reasons that I believe Solution Focused Practice can also help us reconnect with social work’s identity and roots as interventionists.
Imagine your first meeting with a social worker involves the question, “what do you hope for from our involvement with you and your family?”
What if your review meeting started with, “what have you been proud of since we last met?”
What if in crisis your social worker asked you, “what does it say about you as a person that you’ve been able to keep going in this incredibly tough time?”
Imagine being a parent who at the end of a conversation says, “I hadn’t realised how much I had done and achieved until I heard myself say all these things out loud”.
Now add in that structured talking, creating a situation in practice where we can continually step into conversations with people, ask questions which invite thought towards change, support people in their darkest moments and create safety in situations of risk. In my experience, social work needs to move away from referring on and instead get on with intervening with those with whom we have already built relationships.
Proven results
Solution Focused Practice has proven to be both a powerful and empowering vehicle for achieving outcomes for those with whom we work, and in promoting confidence, wellbeing, and perhaps most importantly, hope. I have found that consistently applying a Solution Focused approach is impactful in co-creating change with families and leads to relationships improving - so many children are able to remain with their families. Their emotional wellbeing improves, hope for a future is regained, a trust in services returns and people can make the changes they want in their lives and ultimately no longer require social work involvement.
We recently spoke with a parent who had seen a positive change within her family as a result of taking a Solution Focused approach. She said: “We’ve seen my son grow as a person over the months and he often says ‘I’m in a different place now mum’ which is great.”
My team and I have found Solution Focused social work practice to be very adaptable; it allows for long, regular, consistent pieces of sessional work as well as small moments in a phone call, text message, short visit or crisis. It’s impactful and collaborative. It’s accessible to all practitioners and also to the vast majority of people we support.
The Essex Solution Focused Centre offer training in the Solution Focused approach from within children’s social care, to anyone looking to make a difference in people’s lives.
To find out more about the full catalogue of training available, please get in touch: Essex.SolutionFocusedCentre@essex.gov.uk
]]>Social workers looking to develop their career are encouraged to sign up to the Pathways programme, which is a fantastic opportunity to develop the leadership skills of social work managers and leaders. The programme is funded by the Department for Education and delivered by England’s largest social work charity, Frontline.
There are four pathways specific to children’s social work and tailored for different stages of leadership: supervisors, middle managers, heads of service and practice leaders.
Rochelle is a team leader in a Local Authority's children and families social work team and has a decade of experience. She completed Pathway 2, a course designed for team managers, in July 2023. After graduating university in 2013, Rochelle spent time working in child protection services before progressing to a manager within fostering services. Rochelle experienced homelessness as a child so, even though she didn’t have a social worker, feels that she can relate to similar experiences people who have been in care might have had. For her, social work is a way, a career, where she can support some of these children and families.
Before starting your journey on Pathway 2, what were you hoping to get out of the programme?
I didn’t really know what to expect, but I knew it was going to be a great opportunity to network with other social workers from across the country, hearing how they manage certain tasks in their local authorities. It was incredibly useful to connect with my peers, as I was able to build relationships and share ideas, which you don’t usually have time for as a social worker day to day. Aside from the networking element, I wanted to develop my confidence in the skills I already possess and in the ones that still need development.
Reflecting on the residential experience, was there a particular session or conversation that impacted you?
Feedback was a theme throughout the residential, and for me understanding the power of feedback and how valuable it can be when used correctly really struck me. As a manager, I’ve never had the opportunity to practice giving feedback, so having the space to practice this skill while receiving guidance from the facilitator was really useful. I’ve already implemented one of the feedback models we were shown with my team and found that it helped people to digest the feedback more easily. Feedback is also so important when working with families - I will be looking at how I can use this model to help strengthen how we deliver feedback and to build relationships based on the value of giving and receiving it.
Have you taken anything that you learnt back to share with your team?
One of the sessions was titled ‘Let’s think and talk about race’. This gave me the space to really think about my local authority and if we were doing enough to encourage greater diversity and ultimately, I was left feeling that we could do more. My team’s role is to recruit foster families, and we specifically struggle to recruit families from racially diverse backgrounds. The residential made me realise that we need to be having more conversations with families from racial minorities to understand what the barriers are to fostering and whether we can work with them to remove these barriers.
What was your understanding of leadership in social work before the residential, and has this changed?
My understanding of what a manager and a leader is has changed, and it also challenged me to think about what kind of leader I want to be. It’s reframed my intentions for my role: I want to inspire, motivate and empower my team to come up with ideas and push them forward, and to be a facilitator rather than an instructor. Additionally, one of the other Pathway 2 leaders spoke about how we need to be shapeshifters, to adapt to the individual needs of the team member we are working with. Since the residential I’ve been much more focused on considering how each team member would want me to approach a situation and involving them in the conversation rather than assuming it for them.
Further information
The Pathways programme is a fantastic opportunity to develop the leadership skills of your social work managers and leaders.
Applications for Pathway 1 ,specifically for Practice Supervisors, are currently open. We particularly encourage applications from a range of leaders to help mirror the diverse workforce and families within your local areas.
If you have a story to share with the children’s social care community or want to see a blog on a particular area, please get in touch: blog.bulletin@education.gov.uk
]]>Joseph Kaley CertHE (Law), shares his experience of working on the internship scheme, from how he got there and the application process, to how he has progressed since.
My name is Joseph, I am 22 years old, and I am currently working as a border force higher officer at Heathrow Airport. I started this role in April 2023 having worked my way up from starting on the civil service care leavers internship scheme, then working as a border force officer for nearly 3 years.
The civil service internship scheme
I found out about the care leavers internship scheme through the after-care team at my local authority, who thought that given I was studying law at the time and already dabbling in local politics that exposure to the civil service would be good for me.
My foster carer and tutor at university both supported me in making an effective written application and, once I found out I had been invited to interview, did some mock interviews with me. In the interview itself, the environment was very relaxed, and the panel gave me the confidence to perform to the best of my ability.
The application process
Before applying I only had basic knowledge of what working in the civil service entailed – I knew that it centred around serving the government of the day regardless of political alignment, doing the day-to-day business and running of the country. I knew that there were many different government departments, but the depth and breadth of their individual portfolios were not known to me.
When I was told that I had been successful at interview and would be working for the border force at Heathrow Airport, I had no idea what to expect. The only knowledge I had of border force was from TV shows such as Britain’s Busiest Airport. At the beginning, I did suffer a bit from imposter syndrome, but my amazing colleagues quickly put me at ease, and I got stuck in. My line manager and team were extremely sympathetic to my background and treated me with dignity and respect.
After working part-time for a year, my line manager got a year extension granted to my internship. I was tenacious in ensuring I impressed the business, and it paid off, as I was then offered a permanent full-time role.
My journey since
Shortly after I was offered a permanent role, I applied on promotion to become a border force higher officer and was successful. I very much doubt I would have been able to apply for this role, let alone acquire the necessary skills to even be considered as a candidate, without the opportunities provided by the care leavers internship scheme.
I particularly enjoy working in a demanding operational environment, knowing that the work I deliver contributes to border force’s critical activities and helps keep our country safe. The immense diversity of the organisation has shown me that no matter what walk of life you come from, you can make a difference.
My advice
If I were to give advice to any fellow care leavers considering applying for the scheme is to not underestimate yourself – you will find that you possess a life perspective and set of skills that not many others do. Don’t get hung up on whether you think you will “fit in”.
If I had to describe the internship experience in 3 words, they would be:
Find out more about the civil service care leaver scheme
Find more care leaver support and opportunities with the Care Leaver Covenant
If you have a story to share with the children’s social care community or want to see a blog on a particular area, please get in touch: blog.bulletin@education.gov.uk
]]>Ian Tomney-Bell shares his family’s inspiring adoption journey - from challenging parts of the journey, to the special moment they met their daughter Aspen.
About us
My partner Darryl and I met 10 years ago, in 2013, at a conference in Blackpool. We had a whirlwind romance and were due to be getting married in 2020. We were well into wedding planning when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, and everything was put on pause. This opened the opportunity to allow us to discuss our future even more and we kept talking about a child. At the time, we both had concerns and doubts.
Are we too old to be parents now? Could we offer the support needed when we’re both career focused? Would we be accepted as we’re a gay couple?
After lots of talking we decided it was the right time and started by researching adoption stories, advice and information about the process. We spoke to some adoption agencies, friends, family and our local authority. We decided to fill in a brief introductory form with Rotherham One Adoption Agency to start our journey.
The relationship with your social worker
Around 2 weeks later we heard back from Rotherham who then arranged an initial meeting with our social worker. In this introduction we started to form our working relationship and got to know each other better. The strong level of trust needed between the social worker and ourselves was something we weren’t prepared for. In truth, the process can be a hard slog, so having a trusted social worker who can guide you throughout the process is so important. Essentially, your social worker should be someone you would trust to understand all your personal details and eventually set you up with the right child. Also, particularly as a LGBT+ couple you want someone with an understanding of same sex couples and holds no preconceived ideas. If you’re not comfortable with your current social worker, you can ask to change. You will not be judged for doing this and it will help you in the long term.
The adoption process
Something my partner and I found very stress-inducing were panel meetings. In our case, the first panel meeting which determined whether we were the right people to adopt, happened at the mid-point of the process. Our second and final panel meeting happened once we had met our child, to review the match.
I think it’s important to remember though that they only want the best for you - they don’t want to stop an adoption going ahead. It is important to look after your mental health at this point and if you struggle, speak with your friends, partner, your support, your social worker and if needed the many charities available to you such as You Can Adopt.
Aspen
Once we got through the process it didn’t take too long to get a match. For some this takes time which is no judgement on you, it’s much more about creating the right match. We were introduced to Aspen, a 16-month-old baby girl with beautiful blonde hair and gorgeous blue eyes. I can tell you now, at that moment it was sealed.
Aspen had grandmothers who wanted to keep contact with her. We were so nervous about this. We were worried their expectations would be too much and Aspen may have too much family. We got to meet them, and we started a bond straight away. We’ve developed a friendship and embraced new in-laws. We are so lucky they are in Aspen’s life as they will help her identity as she grows and starts to have questions.
Aspen has been a part of our family now for 18 months and she’s such a character. The worry about homophobia and people treating her differently because she has 2 dads has yet to appear and Aspen has become a confident toddler. We constantly get compliments about how brilliant she is from teachers, friends and family and anyone who gets to meet her. She really has given us, her Daddy and Pops, meaning to our lives and eternal happiness.
If you’re stuck wondering as a same sex couple if this the right path for you, don’t worry. One in 6 adoptions in England are to same sex couples. Your journey will have highs and lows, but your family is worth it. Get the right support behind you and make it your goal. You can do this, you’re not alone.
To read about other adoption stories, or to find further information and support about adoption, visit You Can Adopt UK.
Help us inspire future adoption families by sharing this blog to your social media channels using the buttons below.
If you have a story to share with the children’s social care community or want to see a blog on a particular area, please get in touch: blog.bulletin@education.gov.uk
]]>My journey into kinship care
On my journey to becoming a kinship carer, like many in my situation the term was alien to me. Even though I had seen kinship care arrangements within my own family, we had never given it a label.
Most would react instinctively to stepping in to care for a loved one in unexpected circumstances. To support a child who is unable to remain in the long-term care of their birth parents and prevent them from having to enter or remain in the care system.
In my case, my eldest sister had struggled with long-term, unmanaged mental health issues and traumatic childhood experiences which led to a chaotic lifestyle in her adulthood. In 2019 social services contacted my family to inform us about my niece who had been born and placed into foster care whilst care proceedings were underway.
I took on the role supporting my sister and her daughter without hesitation because I wanted to help them both.
Challenges along the way and how I overcame them
The most challenging part of my journey was navigating through the process with little and lack of accurate information to fully support me in my caring role and I had to fight for my family to get the help we needed.
I wrote to many MPs and local councillors outlining the early challenges I had to overcome as a kinship carer and the importance of recognising and better supporting kinship families, like mine. I wanted to develop allyship with those in the position of power and leadership who could take action to address the needs of children and young people in kinship care arrangements.
I had meetings with individuals from the senior leadership team within the local authority, and started to develop a relationship with professionals in my local kinship team. I wanted to encourage working in partnership with professionals and use my lived experience to influence and inform improvements to the core support and information offered to kinship families at a local level.
I have continued to campaign and advocate for kinship carers and their families and taken up volunteering roles, starting with charity Kinship as a Someone Like Me peer volunteer. This service helped me early on in my kinship journey, and despite my many difficulties I felt a sense of comfort from those in the same boat as me.
I now co-chair The Kinship Care Alliance (KCA), a group of organisations who campaign together internationally. KCA aim to prevent children from being unnecessarily raised outside of their family network, amongst other things.
My advice for new or prospective kinship carers
It may seem scary and confusing along the way but remember you're not alone! There is no reward other than the joy and happiness that you will experience seeing your loved one growing and thrive in their own family. The role we play is invaluable and we do it with such courage and determination despite the fact kinship care is not yet fully understood.
The most important thing you must remember is to take care of yourself along the journey, and strongly urge finding a local peer-support group to meet others in similar circumstances to support you through the highs and lows. Togetherness is the most powerful force we have to influence positive change.
Support for kinship carers
Further information about The Kinship Care Alliance (KCA)
Other blogs about Kinship Care
If you have a story to share with the children’s social care community or want to see a blog on a particular area, please get in touch: blog.bulletin@education.gov.uk
]]>What is an Independent Visitor?
Any looked after child who has not had contact with their birth family for more than 12 months is entitled to have an Independent Visitor. It’s a voluntary role and involves committing to seeing your allocated child once a month to build a relationship.
As an Independent Visitor, you are an impartial adult, giving your time to listen to a young person’s needs and worries, enjoy fun activities together and build a lasting relationship they can count on.
How you spend your time together is your choice and expenses are reimbursed up to a set sum. After each visit you are required to write a brief report, noting the child’s wishes, feelings and any safeguarding concerns.
What made me interested?
I became an Independent Visitor about 2 years ago. At the time, I worked for Wolverhampton Council and in this role, I was often exposed to claims made against the authority, including those made on behalf of looked after children - for abuse, failure to intervene etc.
I worked closely with the Director of Children's Service, who was formerly the Head of Looked After Children. She was probably the most effective and passionate leader in children’s services I had ever encountered. So, when a campaign started rolling out to recruit Independent Volunteers, I applied because I wanted to support the service she ran so well.
Additionally, in a previous role for a different authority in the early 2000s I was a mentor to a young person who was Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) for a 6-month term. Being a mentor made me realise how passionate I am about supporting people and making a positive difference to a young person’s life – no matter how big or small.
My experience
What makes being an Independent Visitor special to me, is that you will possibly be the only adult in their life who chooses to see them without a contractual relationship – like their teachers, social workers and foster carers. I usually set aside a Saturday once a month but have taken volunteer special leave to do things in school holidays sometimes.
My young person has been through a great deal of personal trauma, and I like to think that our relationship and quality time together has a positive impact on her mental health. We have banter and laugh a lot – often because I get lost driving to the places she wants to go to! We have visited art galleries and museums, the cinema, the theatre, shopping centres, beautiful parks, the hairdressers and on and on.
After 2 years we have a great relationship – I really look forward to seeing her. I am confident my young person would talk to me about anything she was worried about. I will continue to see her regularly until she is 18 next year and goes to university (although I keep dropping hints to her about the care leavers internship in the civil service!) and I am sure she will stay connected after she is 18.
Not many people have heard about Independent Visitors, hence why I am keen to spread the word and encourage others to put themselves forward. My theory is… Not many people can change the world to become a better place, but if every person tried to help just one single person… I imagine the world would be much better.
Interested in becoming an Independent Visitor?
Find out more about what’s involved with becoming an Independent Visitor.
Apply to be an Independent Visitor
If you have a story to share with the children’s social care community or want to see a blog on a particular area, please get in touch: blog.bulletin@education.gov.uk
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