Victoria Banks, Virtual School
Head will share a model from Islington which they hope to adapt for
Middlesbrough. The app will take into
consideration views from our young people and include the local care leaver offer.
Minutes:
During the meeting, there was reference
made to the potential app, specifically for care leavers, which would contain
useful information to assist them in their journey to independent living.
The Board were advised that Rob Brown,
Director of Education and Partnerships had asked that the Virtual school to explore a Virtual College. The Head of
Virtual schools reached out to Persons publishers who support this. Islington
Council currently provide an app (Izzy4u) and a conversation had taken place
with Matthew Blood, Virtual School Head of Islington to provide further
guidance.
The
Board were provided with a demonstration of the app, which is hoped to be
adapted and introduced in Middlesbrough. The App would provide interactive
videos from care experienced children and young people, and would give more
credibility from young people, rather than from an adult perspective.
The
Virtual School Head advised that the app would only work effectively if it
provided current information and was co-designed with care experienced young
people. The Director of Children
Service’s and Head of Access to Education, therefore advised that a task and
finish group would be established and finding would be fed back to the Board in
due course.
Following
the demonstration, Board members posed a number of queries:
1. Could
the app embed function skills?
2. Would
there be a facility to provide a chat room function ?
3. Could
the app provide pen pictures of key officers of Children Service’s?
In response, the Virtual School Head advised that at present the app does not provide this, however it could be something embedded if there was a need. The app does not provide chat rooms, however an email address could be included but this would not be ‘live’. In terms of the pen pictures, this is an area which could be developed.
The Board noted that this currently no
platform of this nature in Middlesbrough, only a website and brochures. The Care Ambassadors in attendance, felt this
was a positive step, as feedback from young people, outlined that they wanted
conversations and bitesize information. There was concern that introducing this
app would take away the purpose of the Personal Advisor (PA) however the Interim
Director of Children’s Care felt that that the app would work side by side and
provide complimentary information and support. For example, if a care leaver
had recently only met their PA, how comfortable would they feel about speaking
to them about sexual health? The whole purpose was to support young people
going into independence.
One of the Care Ambassadors queries whether the app could provide
neutral support for all young people, however the Virtual School Head explained
that as this is will be developed by Virtual schools, the support is focused on
children and young people with a social worker, who are proven to be more
vulnerable and require additional support.
However the Virtual School Head welcomed the comments and advised these
would be welcome, as well as the Care Ambassadors input in the task and finish
group.
AGREED:
·
That the
information provided be noted.
·
That a task and
finish group be established and feedback in relation to the development of the
App be brought back to a future meeting of You Matter to Us (April 2023)