Our Pledge to You

The pledge is a list of commitments that we make to all children and young people in care

Wokingham’s Pledge

The ‘Pledge’ is a promise that Wokingham Borough Council makes to you as a child in care. It sets out things that you should receive whilst being in care. It covers areas like where you live, your social worker, your health, and your education.

We Promise to

Provide you with a safe, stable, happy place to live, where you belong and:

Try and provide a home of your choice
Give you information about any home you are moving to
Introduce you to your new carers before you move, unless it is an emergency move
Ensure that your carer knows enough about you to be able to support you
Not move you from your home unless there is an issue around your welfare – if there is we will explain clearly to you
Check you are given good quality care
Check that you are happy and settled

Ensure your Social Worker works effectively with you:

Ensure you know who your social worker is and how to contact them
Make sure you have the opportunity to talk to your social worker alone every time they visit you
Ensure that when your social worker stops working with you, they say a proper goodbye and whenever possible, introduce you to your new social worker
Fully involve you in care plans made for your future by promoting your involvement in planning meetings and reviews, and providing you with all minutes and reports from meetings you attend
Care and plan for you as an individual - involving you in decisions, taking account of your particular needs, especially those relating to your age, interests, disability, race, culture, religion and sexuality
Ensure you have an up-to-date care plan
Help you keep in contact with your family and friends by providing you with a contact schedule (and if any contact with someone is not possible, giving you a clear reason why)
Help you understand your past and why you are in care, including doing life story work with you
Help you build a photo album of important people in your life and places you have been while in care, and provide you with a ‘treasure box’ to keep all your special papers and possessions in.

Make sure you get an excellent education and:

Make sure that you have a place at a school that will help you to do your best
To ensure you remain at the same school but if this is not possible to involve you in the choice of your new school
Take an active interest in what you do at school (e.g. attend parents’ evenings)
Support you in your education plan and in subject/career options
Encourage and help you to do your homework
Celebrate your achievements in education
Provide you with a range of learning opportunities
Ensure every child in care or young person has safe access to a computer and the internet
Providing computers for children aged 11 years plus in full-time education, including those in further and/or higher education
Ensure we help you reach your potential with qualifications, training or courses to choose your future path
Ensure you have copies of school reports
Ensure your PEPs are held termly and that you contribute to them.

Help you have a healthy lifestyle and:

Provide you with contact details for a named nurse specifically involved with Children in Care
Make sure you are registered at a doctor’s
Provide you with access to information on all health issues
Make sure you have regular dental and health check-ups
Point you towards specialist groups and drop-ins
Accompany you to appointments if you wish
Do everything possible to make sure you’ve got the skills and knowledge to keep yourself healthy and happy now and in the future.

To ensure you have fun and:

Encourage you to take part in at least one leisure activity of your choice
Provide information on local activities and events
Support you to access sport and leisure facilities
Help you record your achievements by providing an ‘achievement folder’ for every child in care
Take an active interest in your hobbies and celebrate your achievements
Involve you in activities/holidays with your carers
To give you the opportunity to go on a school holiday
Celebrate dates that are important to you including birthdays and religious festivals

Listen to and value your opinions and:

If you have a disability, make sure that you have your own ‘communication passport’
Involve you in decisions and plans made about you and make sure you understand them
Make sure you are involved in your reviews
Offer you the opportunity to talk to your Independent Reviewing Officer before your review and give you their contact details
Offer you the opportunity to be involved in participation and consultation groups such as the Children in Care Council
Make sure you know who is responsible for you (including your corporate parents) and how to contact them
Give you a timely response to any enquiry or request
Make sure you have the opportunity to talk to your social worker alone every time they visit you and know how to contact them
We will make sure you know your rights and what services you’re entitled to
You will have clear information and support about how to access all the help you need, including advocates, making complaints, and contacting directors of children’s services
We will be honest with you

Help and support you on the road to adulthood and:

Give you good preparation and planning for when you leave care, by providing information and advice, including drop-ins and groups
Ensure you have your national Insurance number by your sixteenth birthday
Find you work experience placements
Help you find and settle into a new home emotionally, financially, securely and safely
Help you access adult services if you need them
Ensure you have access to an NHS dentist
Help you to learn how to budget so you can afford bills and rent
Help you learn to drive and be confident in using public transport
Help you make the most of your chances for training, further education and employment including identifying funding
We will make sure you have an up-to-date passport or understand the reasons why you don’t
If you get in trouble with the police, we will make sure that the right adult is there to offer you help
Make sure you have a Pathway Plan that you understand and that plans for your future
Make sure you have a Personal Advisor when you need one

Wokingham’s Pledge and was written by Wokingham Borough Council in consultation with children in care and care leavers.

Who makes sure we keep our promises

We don’t always get it right so if you think Wokingham is breaking its promises, you can make your views known through:

The Children in Care Council
Regular reviews
Your Social Worker
The Children’s Rights Officer
A complaints procedure

Your social worker or carer can put you in contact with any of them or help you with your complaint directly.

Help to have your voice heard

If you’re a bit nervous about saying it yourself, you can ask for someone else to help or even to do it for you – these are known as “advocates”.

Children in Care Council (CICC)

In addition, the Children in Care Council will be monitoring and reviewing the Pledge and they will let us know if they believe we're not upholding our commitments.

They suggest revisions to the Pledge every year if they consider it necessary.

How to join the CICC

If you are aged 8 to 16 and would like to join the Children in Care Council or find out more about what they do, you can ask your social worker or email: sarah.desson@wokingham.gov.uk

The CICC meet every month. Sometimes we will order pizza and discuss things, other times we will do a fun social activity.

What does it mean?

Advocate

Will help you say things in meetings or visits that you don't feel confident enough saying on your own, as well as making sure you understand everything. They can also help you make a complaint if you don't feel like you have been treated properly.

Care Plan

Your care plan is written by your social worker and has information about you, your placements, and what your plans might be for the future. It should be updated regularly as things change.

Children in Care Council (CICC)

The Children in Care Council listen to children and young people in care and use what they tell them to improve the lives of those in care in the Wokingham Borough. They ask for feedback on things and children and young people in care can share their thoughts and opinions on things that matter to them.

Pathway Plan

A pathway plan is a written document that looks at your plans and goals and what is needed to help you achieve them. This helps identify your current skills and any new skills that you need to develop to help you move towards being more independent.

Personal Education Plan (PEP)

Your personal education plan or PEP is where you set out a plan of actions and targets you would like to achieve. It gets reviewed twice a year so your school and social worker know you are getting the help you need and you are meeting your goals.

Personal Advisor (PA)

When you reach 16 and become a care leaver as well as having a social worker you will also have a personal advisor, known as a PA, who will give you extra support. When you turn 18, your social worker will stop working with you and you will just be supported by your PA.

Placement Plan

Your placement plan is part of your care plan.

Pledge

The Children and Young Persons Act 2008 means that local authorities have to write down a list of promises to their children in care to make sure they are good corporate parents. This list is called a Pledge.

Review

These are regular meetings where you meet up to discuss your care plan.

Social Worker

This is someone who looks after your case. You may have been introduced to them before you came into care or they may be new to you. They will be the ones who have the most contact with you, visit you, and come to your meetings.