Agenda item

Kathy Peacock, Voice and Influence Manager will be in attendance to provide an update to the Board. She will be joined by Adam Hart, CAMHS / HeadStart apprentice .

The Chair welcomed Kathy Peacock, Voice and Influence Manager and Adam Hart, CAMHS / HeadStart Business Administrator Apprentice who were in attendance to provide the standard item update relating to activities of our care experienced young people from 29 November 2022- 11 January 2023.

Adam firstly advised that the children in care council ‘CICC’, had now been renamed and were now called ‘We matter’. Over the next few months ‘we matter’ would discuss the calendar for the year as well as discussing further opportunities to get involved with the Corporate Parenting Board.

Between 29 November 2022- 11 January 2023, the team had:

-       Delivered a Christmas party on 22 December 2022 which was attended by 35 children and young people and 30 carers. Virtual schools provided the entertainment and the service would like to thank councillors who kindly donated the selection boxes. These were distributed to the children/ young people and also taken to the Pathways service.

-       During one of the session our young people discussed ideas on what would be fun to invite other care experienced young people to. Ideas included for example: Information Brunch, Flamingo Land, York, Ice Skating, Laser Tag, Go Karting, Pamper days, Basic First Aid, Boxing, Mindfulness, Motivational speakers, Cooking, Football events, Athletics, Survival techniques, Picnic, Easter hunt and Achievement night.

-       The Independent Reviewing Officer Manager was invited to our meeting on 13 December 2022. We talked about how to make Looked after reviews fun and the prospect of including food. A PCSO also attended the session and talked about safety.

-       An invitation has been sent to Sue Myers, Interim Director of Children’s Services and Claire Sowerby, Interim Director of Children’s Care to a future session.

-       Plan to work with the Virtual school on what looked after young people told us at the Jump 360 event.

Over the next few months ‘we matter’ plan to:

-       Work out a calendar of events for 2023

-       Continue to work with Pathways and care leavers to write their 'Local Offer'. Kathy and Adam were meeting with the lead at Middlesbrough college on the 11th January to start planning the animation video (with help from Middlesbrough college students)

-       Support care experienced young people to share their experiences with the Children and Young people Scrutiny Panel

-       Plan a care leaver celebration event in April 2023 .

The participation team are working with Louisa Jefferson, a care experienced apprentice, and pathways leaving care team to develop a care leavers event for April 2023, this event will be a celebration of all care leavers from Middlesbrough to identify and focus on a positive they have accomplished in the last year.

We will also be celebrating the accomplishment of Digiwise and all that the young people have contributed to the new policy development. Care leavers are being consulted as to what they would like at the event and how they want to celebrate. There will be certificates and trophies handed out to young people based on their achievements as a way of individual acknowledgement. There will also be either bongo bingo or a raffle that young people can win prizes from.

If any Corporate Parent would like to domate any prizes, these would be most welcome.

Arrange for care experienced young people to meet with Corporate Parents before Full Council meetings.

AGREED- That the information be noted.