Right to have a voice is most important ‘principle of care’ according to care experienced young people
The Nuffield Family Justice Observatory (NFJO) has published a report outlining the perspectives of care experienced young people on the five ‘principles of care’ for children with complex needs developed by the NFJO last year.
The report found that “the right to have a voice and for it to be respected” was seen as the most important principle of care, with some young people recounting experiences of not being involved in decision making, or not being told they had a deprivation of liberty (DoL) order in place.
The principles of care were developed in September 2023 to support improvements in the care of children experiencing complex needs and circumstances.
The five principles of care are:
- Stable valued, trusted relationships
- Holistic assessment, formulation and a tailored plan of intervention and support
- Long-term support that is tailored to the child’s needs
- Highly experienced multidisciplinary teams
- Agency and respect.
When asked how well they have been involved in decisions about themselves, a 17-year-old child looked after by Somerset Council said he was not made aware he had a DoL until six months after the order was put in place.
Another young person said: “I was involved but I don’t feel like a lot of it was young person friendly, especially in personal education plan (PEP) meetings.”
Some young people observed the negative impacts of moving regularly on building relationships with professionals.
An 18-year-old care leaver living in Somerset said: “Once [I had been] moved around a few times I learnt there was no point getting to know people because it wouldn’t be long till I got told to pack my bags ready for another move […] This then leads to feeling as though I can’t trust no one.”
The report also highlighted the lack of available placements and issues with funding. A 22-year-old care leaver told researchers that she was stuck in hospital for a year, because a suitable placement could not be found that would meet her needs.
According to the report, the 13 young people interviewed as part of the study felt that the principles of care were the right ones and did not suggest any others.
The respondents observed ‘the right to have a voice and for it to be respected’, ‘stable and valued trusted relationships’ and ‘well trained and highly experienced staff’ as the three most important principles.
Lisa Harker, Director of the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory, said: “We are honoured to have been able to collaborate with Somerset Council and a team of brilliant and inspiring young volunteers on this creative project.
“The five principles of care were developed by the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory with a group of leading academics and clinicians to support improvements in the care of children and young people experiencing complex needs and circumstances – those with multiple, overlapping difficulties, and including those who are deprived of their liberty due to concerns about their well-being, many of whom are currently placed in unregulated settings because there is nowhere else available.
“We are encouraged that the young people who took part in this project endorsed these key principles of care – but their experiences provide further evidence that there is a long way to go before they become a reality.”
Lottie Winson
