Voices Making Choices

VMC is made up of more than 70 young people aged eight – 22 who have various experiences of the care system.

​Voices Making Choices (VMC) are Northumberland’s Children in Care Council.

All local authorities are expected to make arrangements to set up a children in care council to ‘give children in care a forum to express their views and influence the services and support they receive…’ (Care Matters: A Time for Change, DCSF, 2007)

Northumberland’s Children in Care Council was set up in 2009 and they have called themselves Voices Making Choices.

Who are we?

VMC is made up of young people aged eight to 22 who have various experiences of the care system.

They are from different backgrounds and have different experiences including:

• residential homes
• foster care
• some have disabilities
• some are from families who foster children
• 14 + service.

VMC meet every four weeks and managers and councillors come to their meetings to discuss issues and get their views. We also meet at other times to work on projects together.

If you as young people have any issues you would like VMC to take up for you, please contact VMC by emailing voicesmakingchoices@northumberland.gov.uk or you can call Saira Park on 01670 623980. 

Care Matters

The government wants to make things better for young people in care and to have a bigger say in what happens to them. They wrote about their ideas to make things better for young people in care in a booklet called "Care Matters: transforming the lives of children and young people in care".

They asked young people and people who work with them what they thought about our ideas and then made plans to make things better for young people in care. They picked seven main things which would help make things better for young people in care:

• More help for families that are having problems.
• Good, settled care in a place that is right for the young person in care.
• Places in schools that will help them to do their best.
• More support out of school to help them to do well.
• Giving young people a say about when they move out of care, and what support they need.
• Listening to what young people say they need.
• Making sure every young person in care has one adult they can always go and talk to. This could be a carer or a social worker.

For more information about what the government will do to make sure these seven things happen, click here.

How to get involved

You can contact staff who support VMC by calling or texting 07966332280 or you can email:
advocacy@northumberland.gov.uk

 

Our promise to you.

Having a voice

You should always be involved in decisions about your life. We will listen to what you have to say and take your views into account when making decisions. Some of the ways we will do this include:

• making sure you have time with your social worker
• encouraging you to take part in meetings which are about you
• supporting you to get your views about our services across through groups such as the Children in Care Council (VMC)

Stable relationships

Relationships are important in everyone’s life. We want to make sure we support you in maintaining current relationships and help you to develop new supportive relationships in your life. This means:

• carers and workers who can meet your needs and provide support when you need it
• helping you to have contact with your family and friends according to your care plan

High aspirations

Having high aspirations means that we want the best for you in all areas of your life. We will encourage you to have goals and believe in yourself. To help you do well, we will support you to:

• get the right education, training and employment opportunities
• take part in sporting, leisure and cultural activities
• access appropriate health services

Tell us how we are doing

We want looked after children and young people to tell us whether we are meeting Our Promise

There are many ways you can do this:

• Tell a carer or worker
• Contact our participation workers
• Talk to a senior manager
• Get in touch with VMC

Find out more information below.

 

Regional Children in Care Council (RCICC)

Young people also have the opportunity to participate in the regional children in care council which brings together young people from across the North East to discuss and look at issues affecting young people that are looked after.

The Youth Cabinet of Northumberland

This is an elected group of 10 young people, who have been given the mandate by teenagers in county-wide elections to take the young persons voice directly to the county council.

The youth cabinet have run mock elections in numerous middle schools, allowing the students to see at first hand how their vote makes a difference.

They are organising charity events to raise money and awareness for teenage cancers and they are running a climate change competition to encourage young people to make a difference in their high schools.

Alongside this, the youth cabinet have regular meetings with the leader of the county council, taking the young persons voice right to the top.

For more information on what they do visit: www.northumberland.gov.uk/youthcabinet

The UKYP (UK Youth Parliament)

This is a national organisation of elected young people who debate the key issues concerning teenagers from across Britain and put pressure on the politicians to take notice.

Northumberland has two representatives on the UKYP who are working to see improvements on transport and promoting democracy for young people and much else.

The UKYP has made history by holding debates within both the House of Lords and House of Commons showing the importance of this group in making important heads turn.

Visit www.ukyp.org.uk for more information on what they do.

What is advocacy?

Advocacy is when someone helps you to have your say or speaks for you, if you are struggling to be heard. Advocates support you to be involved in decisions that affect you.

Advocacy service for looked-after children and young people

You could be:

• worried about moving placements
• feel like no–one is listening
• wanting to change something but not sure how

Some things we can help with:

• writing a letter to your social worker
• attending meetings and giving adults your views
• preparing for a review
• information on your rights

“If you can’t use your voice…. use ours!"
Click here to see the advocacy process.

Getting in touch:

You can speak to an advocate using the details below: 

Email:
advocacy@northumberland.gov.uk

Phone or text:
07966332280

Participation & Advocacy Team
Northumberland Youth Service
Northumbria House
Manor Walks Shopping Centre
Cramlington
NE23 6UR

We are available Monday to Friday, 8.30am-4.30pm. If we are busy, we have an answer phone and you can leave a message and we will get back to you within two working days.

Independent advocacy service

If you would prefer to speak to an independent advocate (someone who does not work for Northumberland County Council) you can contact us and we can put you in touch with someone.

Contact us:
Email: advocacy@northumberland.gov.uk
Phone or text: 07966332280

​Each area has a team of social workers known as a FACT team. Your social worker is there to support you throughout your care and will be able to answer any questions you have.

They will also be the link to your family and carers and oversee what is going on in your life. They will meet with you regularly and you can also contact them over the phone if you need to.

You should know who your social worker is but if you don’t, please contact us and we will find out for you.

If you have any questions, compliments or complaints about your social worker, you can contact their team manager. To see who that is, click here.

The following information tells you about foster care. We have this information available in a hard copy booklet for you too. If you have any questions, please let us know.

What is a foster care?

Foster carers are people who want to help look after you, while you are unable to stay with your family. They will do all they can to help you feel safe and cared for while you are away from your family. They will listen to what you want and help you stay in touch with your family and friends.

Everyone in children’s services will help your foster carers to look after you properly.

The foster care team prepare, train and supervise our foster carers so they can look after you properly. They and your social worker are part of children’s services and will work with you and your family to give you the best care that they can.

What to expect when you are fostered

You have the right:

• not to be spoken to in a nasty or hurtful way
• not to be made to feel bad about yourself
• not to be hurt in any way
• to be talked to and listened to about plans or decisions made about you
• to be helped in talking about your wishes and feelings
• to be offered the right sort of school and play activities
• to be helped to keep in touch with all important people in your life .The only exceptions may be if someone has to be with you when you meet with family (called supervised contact) or where we think that contact may be unsafe for you
• to make a complaint. You can do this yourself or get someone to do this for you. This will be sorted out quickly.
• to ask for, or approach, an independent advocate for advice and support. They will talk to people on your behalf if you want them to. The names and numbers are on the back of this leaflet.
• to feel safe and comfortable

What happens when I go to live with my carer?

It is scary going to live with strangers. All families are different, so you will feel strange at first. Foster carers understand this and will do their best to make you feel welcome and comfortable.

Tell them how you feel and what you do and do not like. Ask them questions e.g. do I get pocket money? Can I choose what to eat? Can I use the phone?

Foster carers will tell you the rules and routines in their house so you know what to expect. Do not worry if people make mistakes. It will take a little time to get used to each other and work things out together.

Foster carers receive information about you and your family so they know something about you.  They will welcome you bringing your favourite and familiar things with you. We try and choose a foster family that is as close to your family as possible.  We want you to have as much contact with your family and friends as you can. It would be good if you could carry on with the same clubs, youth clubs, etc.

What is adoption?

Being adopted means living and growing up in a new family and it may happen if you can’t live with your birth family – the family you were born into. This may be because your parents might feel that they can’t look after you, and think it would be best for you to live with a new family. Some children might have been hurt or not looked after properly. If this happens, children’s social services and the Courts of Law might decide that the children should live with a new family.

Who gets adopted?

Hundreds of children are adopted every year. Some are babies, some older, some are adopted with their sisters and brothers, some are adopted from different countries, and some are adopted by people they know – like relatives and friends of the family.

How do I get a new family?

Northumberland Adoption Service is part of Northumberland County Council. We think that you should grow up in a family, who loves you and makes you feel safe.

We will find you a new family and organise your adoption.

People who will help you include:

• your social worker – someone who tries to help children and their families when they have difficulties. Part of your social worker’s job is to help you understand the things you are worried about. You could be worried about changes that have happened in your life or changes that might be happening in the future. You can talk about these and lots of other things with your social worker.
• your children’s permanence worker or family finder – a social worker who knows a lot about adoption and who looks for new families for children who need a new family
• an adoption social worker or family placement social worker – a social worker who checks  families who are looking to adopt a child or children and makes sure that they are good enough to adopt.

First they find out all about you:

Your social worker will ask you and your family some questions. You should tell them the really important things about yourself, such as what you like and do not like; things that make you happy and things that make you sad; and things you are good at.

This is all written in a report called a children’s permanence report. When this is done your social worker will talk to a group of people called the ‘adoption panel’ to make sure that adoption is the best plan for you.

While you are being looked after by us, we will help collect important things as you grow up, so you can look back at photos and read about special memories from when your early childhood – these will be kept in a life story book or box.

A young person who comes to live in one of the homes in Northumberland County Council children’s homes can expect to be well looked after in a homely and safe environment.

Northumberland County Council offers a range of residential services for children and young people who cannot live at home, either for long or short periods. 

Our secure children’s home facility, Kyloe House, is available to support children and young people from across the UK.

More information about Northumberland's residential services can be found on their pages here.

What we do

We help people develop the skills to move towards independence. We are available to support you when you reach 15 years and nine months old.

Services are provided via section 24 of the Children Act 1989 and The Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000.

Pathway plans

The role of the 16+ worker is to support the young person to prepare for the transition to adulthood and independent living when the assessment identifies that the young person is ready. They will support young people to identify and maintain suitable and safe accommodation via social housing, semi independent housing projects and private landlords if this is deemed suitable.

Education, employment and training needs of the young person will be identified within the needs assessment and pathway plan part 2. Once identified the young person will be supported by their 16+ and Connexions worker to realise their potential and achieve their aspirations.

The 16 + team works closely with the Future Routes group who meet once every six weeks. In addition there is the opportunity to become involved with other groups via the participation officers such as the Children in Care Council and creative writing group.

Definitions

SECTION 24
LEAVING CARE STATUS

Eligible child

A 16 or 17-year-old who is still in care and who has been in care for at least 13 weeks since the age of 14.

Relevant child

A 16 and 17-year-old who, after 01 October 2001, has left care but was in care on or after their 16th birthday and had been in care for at least 13 weeks since the age of 14. This includes young people who happened to be in the youth justice system or hospitalised on their 16th birthday.

Former relevant child

An 18 to 21-year-old who was an eligible or relevant child. This includes young people over the age of 21 who are in education or training for as long as agreed in their pathway plan.

Qualifying child

A young person aged between 18 and 21 who has left care but was in care on or after their 16th birthday and had spent less than 13 weeks in care since the age of 14 or had left care before 01 October 2001. This includes young people under the age of 24 who are in education or training.

If you need to get in touch, ring 01670 712925.
Click here to see 16+ Flowchart
Click here to see Leaving Care Guide
Click here to see 16+ Leaflet

Our Virtual School is the champion of good education outcomes for Northumberland's looked after children.

Our Virtual School is the champion of good education outcomes for Northumberland's looked after children. 

There is no Virtual School building but we do share some features of a ‘real’ school. 

More information about the Virtual School can be found here.