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Charity wants care system review Charity wants care system changes
(about 1 hour later)
An urgent review of the system of children in care in Wales is being called for by a charity.An urgent review of the system of children in care in Wales is being called for by a charity.
Voices From Care Cymru wants progress on six-year-old recommendations by its patron, Sir Ronald Waterhouse.Voices From Care Cymru wants progress on six-year-old recommendations by its patron, Sir Ronald Waterhouse.
It comes as the first cross-party group for children in care is launched by Welsh Assembly Members. The cross-party group of AMs dedicated to improving lives of children in care, are due to meet for the first time.
The assembly government said the issue was a "key priority," and it was developing a detailed strategy for improving services. The assembly government said the care issue was a "key priority" and said it was developing a detailed strategy for improving services.
Ministers said £1m was going to local authorities to help achieve support for children in care.Ministers said £1m was going to local authorities to help achieve support for children in care.
Young people in the care system are entitled to the same opportunities as their peers Deborah Jones, Voices from Care CymruYoung people in the care system are entitled to the same opportunities as their peers Deborah Jones, Voices from Care Cymru
Sir Ronald, a former High Court judge who presided over the investigation into child abuse at north Wales children's homes in the 1990s, wants the recommendations made in his report Lost in Care to be reviewed. Sir Ronald, a former High Court judge who presided over the investigation into child abuse at north Wales children's homes in the 1990s, wants the recommendations made in his report entitled Lost in Care, to be reviewed.
The charity is calling for a comprehensive package of measures in the next assembly term to improve the lives of looked-after children. Voices from Care Cymru - the only independent charity in Wales representing looked after children - wants a comprehensive package of measures in the next assembly term to improve the lives of looked-after children.
Alma Duckworth, 20, from Colwyn Bay, was in care from the age of ten. She spent most of that time with foster families, and said she remembers it as an unsettling time. Alma Duckworth, 20, from Colwyn Bay, was in care from the age of 10. She spent most of that time with foster families, and said she remembers it as an unsettling time.
She said: "I just remember moving about a lot and going here there and everywhere and just being all over really, moving in with people and moving out." "I just remember moving about a lot and going here there and everywhere and just being all over really, moving in with people and moving out," she said.
She said the families she stayed with were good to her but the authorities could have done more to help her make the transition to life after care.She said the families she stayed with were good to her but the authorities could have done more to help her make the transition to life after care.
She added: "I think they could have made me more settled, and given me more advice for when I left care. "I think they could have made me more settled, and given me more advice for when I left care," she added.
'Opportunities' 'Mental health'
"I left care on my 16th birthday and that was it really. I moved in taxi down the road and that was it. "I left care on my 16th birthday and that was it really. I moved in a taxi to a house down the road and that was it.
"They're meant to help you look for a flat and help you move and help you live in the flat and help you manage your bills and things like that, but they don't.""They're meant to help you look for a flat and help you move and help you live in the flat and help you manage your bills and things like that, but they don't."
Voices From Care Cymru is to make its demands as the first cross-party group dedicated to the issue meets on Tuesday for the first time. Voices from Care chief executive Debra Jones told BBC Radio Wales that the group would not be a "panacea" but would raise the issue the political agenda.
It will be made up of AMs representing all parties and has been set up to campaign for young people in the care system. She said: "I think it's a time to review what is going well and what isn't going as well.
Deborah Jones, chief executive of Voices from Care Cymru, said: "The first thing that must be done is a review of Lost in Care. "We got very major concerns around the outcomes that young people face when they leave care, particularly around education [and] health.
"Neglect and abuse takes many forms and we are still concerned about the lack of independent advocacy, poor educational outcomes and the way in which children are outsourced to private agencies to be cared for outside of their communities. "There's a lot of young people who leave care who end up in mental health systems and the criminal justice system, which I feel is unacceptable."
"Young people in the care system are entitled to the same opportunities as their peers and this needs to be recognised if we are to make real changes to their lives and life chances." Conservative AM David Melding will chair the first meeting of the all-party group.
'Prospects' Sir Ronald Waterhouse said he was delighted the group had been set up.
Conservative AM David Melding, who will chair the first meeting of the all-party group, said: "I agree that there is now a clear need to review progress on the recommendations Sir Waterhouse made six years ago, so we can start to see some real improvements for looked-after children in terms of educational achievement and the numbers who go on to university, and this is something the group will be campaigning for."
Sir Ronald Waterhouse, said he was delighted the group had been set up.
"The need is as a great as ever for such an influential group to press for effective steps to be taken to ensure that looked after children emerge from care with realistic prospects of leading successful and happy lives," he said.