Our achievements
Young people’s views during 2022 and 2023 have really helped to make a difference for children and young people in care and leaving care in York.
Care Plan Documents
Show Me That I Matter have had their say in creating a template Care Plan for children and young people in care so that young people will have their own copy of their plan, written and displayed in a way which is appropriate for them but contains everything they need to know.
Young people decided what content was needed, how it should be worded and what these should look like.
There are now 2 versions which look fantastic!
My Things Matter Pledge
Young people and Speak Up asked the local authority to sign up to the National Youth Advocacy Service My Things Matter pledge so no young person should move with their belongings in bin bags.
The local authority agreed that this should not happen and have signed the pledge. The pledge is a commitment that you and your belongs will be treated with respect and dignity if you move.
Joint Housing Protocol
A number of care experienced young people raised concerns about housing and asked I Still Matter to raise it as an issue with senior leaders. The group undertook consultation and presented a report to the Corporate Parenting Board.
As a result, a new joint housing protocol has been developed for care leavers which better joins together housing and leaving care services so the experience for young people leaving care and moving into their own home is improved.
Cost of living Support
I Still Matter discussed the impact of the cost of living crisis on care experienced young people. To get a better understanding of the experiences they created a survey to enable people to have their say about the impact of the crisis by sharing their worries, views and suggestions.
The responses were shared anonymously in a report to the Corporate Parenting Board.
As a result the Pathway Team have launched a voucher scheme to support care experienced people with the cost of living by providing vouchers to support with costs such as energy bills, food shops and essential items.