• Cabinet commits to recognising care experience as a protective characteristic
• This will give more support and protection to the borough’s most vulnerable children and young people
Newham Council has agreed to give more support to some of its most vulnerable young people by recognising care experience as a protected characteristic.
Councillors voted for the pioneering report which was presented at this week’s Cabinet meeting (7 May) by young people from Newham’s Children in Care Council and Care Leavers Forum. The council will now implement a review of all policies to ensure that children in or leaving care will be considered in all policy making to address the inequality and discrimination they are known to face.
According to national statistics as part of the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care from 2022, children in care are more likely to face hardship in adulthood. The review found 30 per cent of school leavers who were in care during 2021/22 were not in further or higher education, employment or training nine months after leaving school, compared to 7 per cent of all school leavers.
In Newham, the number of children in care in 2023 spanned from 405 to 431 in any given month, equating to approximately 49 in every 10,000.
Councillor Sarah Ruiz, Lead Member for Children and Young People said: “Care leavers often face significant challenges and obstacles as they navigate their way through life. It is imperative that we recognise and address their unique needs and vulnerabilities by affording them the protections and support they deserve.
“As a society, we need to do all we can to ensure our children have the help they need to be healthy and succeed. With this commitment, we are sending a powerful message that we will care for them like we would our own children and that their voices matter, their experiences are valid and their rights must be upheld.”
To find out more about fostering a child or young person in care, please visit www.newham.gov.uk/fostering