Mike Stein

Research Professor

Care Less Lives Promoting the Rights and Well-being of Young People in Care

What I am going to talk about

• Care Less Lives – the rights movement of young people in care in England

• A young person’s history of care – identify themes of ‘a history from below’

• Reflections on the achievements, the recurring themes and current challenges

The rights movement of young people in care

• Rights movement – young people’s movement as distinct from ‘professional’ rights groups• UNCRC principles – participation, protection and

provision• The Leeds Ad-Lib group – began in 1973 -1975• The Who Cares? project – 1975 to 1978 – continues

today• The National Association of Young People in Care –

1979 to 1994• Black and In Care - 1984-5• A National Voice – 1999 and still going

Leeds Ad-lib group from 1973

• It started by bringing together young people living in care with those who had left care to share their experiences• Campaigned against ‘special arrangements’ for school

dinner payments and buying clothes• Challenging stigmatising policies and practices –

impact upon identity and well-being• The group helped young people

o Talk about care and share experiences – grow in confidence through participating

o Educate others about their experiences – Ad Lib mago Began to change attitudes and policies towards

children and young people at a local level

Who Cares? 1975-1978

First national event, for young people aged 12-16, living in Children’s Homes• Context – institutionalisation, community and

family care; drift; what did young people think?• Lack of public awareness about care• Movement and disruption experienced by young

people living in care• The use of physical punishment – abuse in care?• Young people’s lack of knowledge abut care and

being involved in their care

Who Cares?

• Published a book – Who Cares? Young people in care speak out• Charter of Rights and Things we want to change• Setting-up of 4 regional groups• Published Who Cares? News• Their views received widespread publicity• Introduced the idea of ‘rights’ - a narrative shift from

‘professionally defined needs’• Rights to equality; information; participation, and

privacy

The National Association of Young People in Care: 1979-1994

Set up in June 1979 – their own independent organisation:• To improve conditions for children and young

people in care • To make information and advice available to

young people in care • To promote the views and opinions of young

people in care• To help start, support and develop local groups

The National Association of Young People in Care

• Ban the Book campaign• Gizza Say? Reviews and Young People in Care• Sharing Care, NAYPIC’S Evidence to the 1984

House of Commons Social Services Committee• Carried out surveys – files, leaving care,

guidebooks, sexual health and parenthood• Evidence to Wagner Review of Residential Care• Major impact upon law, policy and practice

Black and In Care 1984-5

• 1980’s evidence of over-representation of Black and mixed parentage young people in care

• Black and In Care conference: topics exploredo Fosteringo Origins, culture and racismo Mixed parentageo Leaving care

• Black and In Care and NAYPIC

A National Voice 1999 - today

• Context – demise of NAYPIC in 1994; People Like Us, The Utting Report, 1997 – in response to abuses in care

• A National Voice launched in 1997

• Me, Survive, Out There? and Amplify Fun event 2002

• Campaigns to end bin bagging, make sleepovers easier, national minimum leaving care grant, improve accommodation

• 2010 Report on the emotional wellbeing of young peopleo 80% found life very difficult and emotional problems affected most of

their lives – relationships, education, employment and leisureo Most found it difficult in approaching mental health services

• LILAC project, Children in Care Councils, Pledges

• 2008 - Evidence to the House of Commons Committee

A young person’s history of care

• Began with ‘special arrangements’

• Care seen as stigmatising and controlling – owing more to the poor law legacy than new professional thinking?

• Being ‘black and in care’ – a ‘white care’?

• A history of punishment and abuse in care?

• A failure to compensate many young people – educationally, developmentally and emotionally

Reflections: what did the right’s movement achieve?

• Children Act 1989 – stronger legal frameworko Complaints procedureso Young people leaving careo ‘Racial origin, culture and language’

• Consultative rights – ‘wishes and feelings’• Developments in participation – at both an individual

and policy level• Local group impact – personal development• Young people challenging injustices – different from

professional concern• A story of Individual and collective resilience• A story of young people

Reflections: recurring themes ‘From order books to bin bags’

• Context – changes in the care system• Placement movement and disruption• Stability, high quality care – foundations of

well-being• Loss of family and a positive identity for care• Leaving care at too early an age• Supporting young people on their pathways

to adulthood• Wide variations in the quality of care