1. Big Conversation 2 Progress on the Pledge August 2017

2. Progress on the pledge ~ from your Corporate Parents At the ‘Big Conversation in December 2016 you presented us with the Pledge on behalf of the Children in Care Council We worked together to decide how we can meet the pledge. Today we are here to give you an update on what work we have been doing since December 2016.

3. You said: ‘I don’t feel ready to leave home yet
You said: ‘I don’t feel ready to leave home yet. I don’t know how to do lots of things for myself’. we did?
We have worked with an organisation called ‘Money House’ to provide training for young people to help them be prepare for adult life.
3 groups of young people have taken part and we are planning to do more.
We have encouraged staff in our Children’s homes to help their young people to develop skills for adult life.
Derbyshire provides help for children in care and care leavers to learn to drive if it will improve their access to education, employment or training.

4. You said: We would like a passport and a provisional driving license.
We did?
Passports, we have reminded social workers how important it is for children in care to have a passport.
Independent Reviewing Officers will check what progress has been made on applying for passports before young people’s reviews.

5. You said: We need better introductions to our new social workers, less changes in social workers. More privacy when talking to our social workers and we need to know how to contact our social workers.
We did?
We held a children in care social worker development day where we discussed the Pledge.
Social workers shared good practice with other teams.
The Children in Care teams came up with 2 things their locality could do differently in response to the pledge.
Workers also made personal pledges about 2 things they are going to do as individuals to meet the pledge.

6. You said: We would like to be asked where and when we want our PEP and who we want to be there.
We did?
We talked about PEP’s at the Social Worker development day.
The Virtual School are looking into this.

7. You said: Make sure that pocket money for children in care is fair
You said: Make sure that pocket money for children in care is fair. Help us to save money
We did?
We have set up a group to look at how we can make sure that the amount of pocket money you get is fair.
We will also be looking at how we make sure that when you come into our care, you have a bank account and we encourage you to start saving.
We have asked members of the children in care council their view on this work.

8. You said: We would like an opportunity to be involved with training workers.
We did?
2 care leavers delivered a workshop at the social work development day.
Children in Care are involved in our interview panels for children’s homes and the IRO’s.

9. Other Good News
We asked members of the Children in Care Council what questions they thought we should ask foster carers at foster care panels.
These questions are now being asked on behalf of young people.
We are looking forward to working with the Children in Care Council and listening to your views, so that we can improve the lives of our children in care.