Children’s Minister Edward Timpson has made a smart decision
to appoint Lorraine Pascale as the government’s first ‘fostering ambassador’. A
former foster child herself she represents a ‘consumer’ rather than a
‘producer’ perspective, something that is still rare in the children’s services
world.
However, the government has to do more than simply give
token acknowledgement to the voices of those who have direct personal
experience of the care system. It needs to take very seriously what children
and young people who are in care say. And it needs to create the resources to
act on their needs, wishes and concerns by ensuring that a credible programme
of continuous improvement is in place.
I would like to see the establishment of a rolling panel of
children and young people who are, or who have recently been, in care to advise
ministers, civil servants and local officials on what is right and what is
wrong with fostering and related services and to put forward ideas about how
they can be improved.
