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Government pledges a better future for children and young people in care 17 July 2009  CHIEF Minister Tony Brown MHK yesterday (Thursday) signed the Island’s first Children’s Pledge, a commitment on behalf of Government as a whole to recognise and support children and young people in public care.
The Pledge, which sets out what Government intends to do to give youngsters in care the best start in life, was launched by the Chief Minister, Education Minister Hon Anne Craine MHK, DHSS Minister Hon Eddie Teare MHK and Dudley Butt MLC, previously member for Social Services at the DHSS and now a member of the Department of Education overseeing the integration of Services for children. Present at the launch was an audience including young people, foster carers, social workers, management from justice, health, education and social services, and Members of Tynwald. The Chief Minister explained: ‘The Children’s Pledge builds on existing provision for children and young people in care. For the first time it makes a formal public commitment for all of Government to recognise the special position of these youngsters and to work systematically to support them. The Pledge is all about the responsibility the Government has as the Corporate Parent to children and young people in care, whether they are there for a short time or a longer period. It sets out a clear vision that all these children, despite often coming from challenging family situations, should have the freedom to flourish and be all that they can be in life – just like any other child. The document makes some clear commitments to children and young people in care to help them do this.’ From Minister Teare’s Department, Social Services sought the views of children and young people in care to develop the Pledge, organising consultation days and individual meetings to capture their views, feelings and wishes about being in care. Mr Teare commented: ‘This is part of our major drive to listen carefully to the people we serve as we plan improvements in the services they rely on ‘. Staff at all levels, including Education, Health and Social Services, also contributed to the consultation exercise and both sets of views informed the final Children’s Pledge. Minister Craine, who is Chair of the Children’s Committee, said: ‘Children who can’t live at home with their family, for whatever reason and for however long, need Government as their Corporate Parent to give them the support to reach their full potential in life. This means giving them a good education, a safe place to live, adults around them who can care for them and provide them with a guiding hand especially in the transition to independence in adult life. The Children’s Pledge is our commitment, from Ministers right through to front line staff, to all our children and young people in care that we will strive to give them the best start in life that we would want for our own children.’ Aisha Howard, one of the Care Leavers launching the Pledge, said: ‘One of the reasons I wanted to be involved in this is to make sure children in care get a better start in life than I did. Most of the children I have met are in care through no fault of their own and have so much potential. I think the Children’s Pledge will help them reach that potential’. Signing the Pledge the Chief Minister said: ‘Our Island’s youth has so much talent and potential. As I launch this Pledge today my hope is that our children and young people in care can realise their potential and become the talent of tomorrow. My Pledge to these children and young people is to support you in doing that, and I know my Ministers and our colleagues will be doing the same.’ More stories >>>
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