When a child or young person comes into our care, we become 'corporate parents'. This means we must make sure we do everything a parent would normally do to look after their child.
Children in care rely on people like social workers, child in care nurses and foster carers to look after them and to make sure that they are safe, well cared for, do well in education and are happy.
We listen to children in care and use what you tell us to improve your life in care.
Activities
Children in care council meetings take place every other month on the last Thursday of each month and are held virtually using Microsoft Teams.
Every child in care is invited to become a member of the children in care council. So, if you're a Derbyshire child in care aged from 10 to 16-years-old, we'd like to hear from you.
If meetings aren't for you, we still want to hear from you if you've something to tell us about your experience of being in care.
Meetings
Meetings take place from 5pm using Microsoft Teams and we have an activity session every other meeting. The next meeting dates are:
- Thursday 30 November 2023 - The Big Ambition activity day
- Thursday 25 January 2024 - virtual meeting at 5pm
- Saturday 23 March 2024 - activity day from 10am to 2pm
- Thursday 23 May 2024 - virtual meeting at 5pm)
- Saturday 13 July 2024 - activity day from 10am to 2pm
- Thursday 26 September 2024 - virtual meeting at 5pm
- Saturday 23 November 2024 - activity day from 10am to 2pm
For activity days transport is provided from a central location pick up point.
For more information on any of the dates please email ruth.peat@derbyshire.gov.uk.
Minutes of previous meetings are available, email childrens.rights@derbyshire.gov.uk.
The Big Ambition
This year we are inviting our children in care (10 to 15 years old) to take part in an event linked to the Children's Commissioners 'Big Ambition' campaign on 30 November 2023.
The Big Ambition aims to hear from children across England on what they think is important!
The Children's Commissioner wants to take children's thoughts, opinions and ideas to decision-makers, to make sure that the government hears young people's voices on what they think needs to be done to make children's lives better in England.
We will be sharing this our Big Ambition surveywith all our young people in Derbyshire schools signed up to the Derbyshire Youth Network (DYN) in the next couple of weeks.
On Thursday 30 November 2023, young people in looked after care will be invited to take part in a day to explore their own 'Big Ambitions, My Dreams, My future'. They'll take part in a series of activities throughout the day, focussing on giving young people involved information about careers and aspirations, and making good decisions that will improve their life chances moving forwards into the future.
If the young person you look after is interested, please email ruth.peat@derbyshire.gov.uk to add their name to the list. Please include your name, young person's name, address, contact email and telephone number in your email.