National Care Leavers' Week
2018 REACH FOR THE SKY
Ocotber 24th - 31st“Man is by nature a social animal; an individual who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more than human. ... Anyone who either cannot lead the common life or is so self-sufficient as not to need to, and therefore does not partake of society, is either a beast or a god. ” ARISTOTLEWe do things best when we do them together. As in many areas of human service delivery, the last decade has seen a growing awareness among policy makers of the central importance of listening to the people who are using those services if there is to be any chance of getting service design right. There have been many initiatives in leaving care services along these lines, from the LILAC inspection project, through the highly effective
New Belongings programme, to the current round of Innovation funded activities being supported by the
Department for Education.
During
National Care Leavers' Week 2017 TOGETHER, we focus on the many ways in which working together promotes and improves the present quality of life of those leaving care as well as leading to better long term outcomes. Within Central and Local Government the
Care Leavers Strategy aims to ensure that all of the many Departments shoes policies affects care leavers are working together with a true understanding of the needs of this uniquely vulnerable group and an understanding of the impact that major policy decisions have on their lives, such as decisions about Housing, Access to Education, Mental Health Services, and Welfare Supports. At Local Government level Councils are being urged to explore more fully their responsibilities as Corporate Parents, and how they can draw on all areas of local service delivery, including the development of robust community and voluntary partnerships. Care Leavers themselves are the originators and driving force behind many improvement initiatives and there will be opportunities across the UK to learn about a wide range of good practice in partnership working, as well as policy development areas, as National Care Leavers’ Week approaches. Whether you want to learn about changes arising from the
Children and Social Care Act, learn about what Councils are expected to deliver through their
‘Local Offer’, discover what is being funded through the
Innovation Programme, or simply celebrate and reflect on the many things that talented and dedicated care leavers achieve when they work
TOGETHER, there is something in
National Care Leavers’ Week for you.
National Care Leavers' Week Conference 2017 TOGETHERFull, fascinating & fast-moving, TOGETHER is the Fifteenth National Care Leavers’ Week Conference. This event is is unmissable if your work connects you to care leavers, whether through direct practice, policy making, or service development. Book here or view programme. Contact us for display or sponsorship opportnities. We look forward to seeing you on the 30th.