VONNE

Policy Topic: BME Children and Young People in Care

BECON will work with local authorities to identify the likely impact of the government’s changing equality guidance on BME young people in local authority care, and their well being.

The research carried out as part of this project aims to develop an evidence base on BME children and young people in care in different local authority areas, with a focus on addressing their needs.

It is envisaged that through assessment of two local authorities polciies on children and young people in care will develop an evidence base for where BME needs have been integrated into policy making and where gaps exist. It is hoped that local authorities will be able to share best practice and learn from each other.

Through this work adoption and fostering service providers in the North East will be engaged with to ensure BME parents and carers understand the services which are available for BME children and young people.

It is hoped that through this process the statutory sector's awareness of race and culture issues, in terms of safeguarding, will be raised for looked after young people.

An intiial briefing note can be downloaded from the right hand side of this page; it is intended to be able to provide the VCS details of the current policy position. For more information about this work or to become invovled contact Dean T Huggins at BECON - dean@becon.org.uk