by Rebecca

Many social workers work very hard to make sure that children are put into a caring home. However, there are lots of problems within the social care system.

For example, currently, there aren’t enough foster carers, meaning that many children are living in uncaring and problematic conditions, as there is no-one available to give them good-quality care.

The lack of foster carers can mean that children may go to group homes, as it is the easiest option, rather than finding suitable family replacements. This means that children are not receiving the individual time and caring attention they might receive in a family setting. This can impact mental health, education and learning.

Kinship care (where children are cared for by wider family instead of their parents) should be better supported both financially and practically. Also, although post adoption support is available if adoptive families get into difficulty, this support is very slow to receive.

Every child should have the opportunity to live in a safe caring family that loves them. Children in the care system shouldn’t feel it’s their fault and should receive the support necessary in order to overcome these feelings. So, my Big Ambition for children’s social care is for every child to be able to grow up in a loving and caring household where they’re protected and can enjoy their childhood.

We need to get rid of the stigma (feelings of shame) that is still attached to growing up in care. It should instead be viewed as an alternative way of growing up, not an inferior one.