Welsh government commits to corporate parenting pledge list
Wales’ first minister has signed a new Corporate Parenting Charter, committing the Welsh government to nine promises when working with care-experienced children and young people.
The charter sets out principles that all public bodies and their leaders should follow in the design and delivery of services, such as eradicating stigma, providing a stable home and good health and education.
‘Corporate parenting’ is defined as promoting the collective responsibility of the whole public sector to safeguard and promote the rights and life chances of care-experienced children and young people.
Any public body, third sector organisation or business can sign up to the charter.
Mark Drakeford, Wales’ first minister, said: ‘Our Programme for government sets out our ambitious vision for transforming children’s services in Wales.
‘I’m pleased to sign the charter today, which will support all our public bodies in ensuring that all care-experienced children and young people have the same life chances as every other child or young person.’
Julie Morgan, the Deputy Minister for Social Services, who also signed the charter, added: ‘Last December we held Wales’s first Care Experienced Summit, bringing care-experienced young people and Welsh Ministers together to develop a radical, ambitious and shared vision for the future.
‘A key message from the summit, led by the Young Ambassadors, was that care-experienced children and young people’s rights must be respected and their voices heard and listened to equally.
‘I call on all public bodies, voluntary organisations and businesses in Wales to join us to ensure that all care-experienced children and young people have the same opportunities and life chances that every young person deserves.’
Dr Andrew Goodall, the Welsh Government’s Permanent Secretary, said: ‘Supporting care-experienced children should be the responsibility of all public bodies. We want our public sector to understand and develop their responsibilities towards care-experienced children and young people throughout Wales.
‘I welcome the launch of the Corporate Parenting Charter and I’d encourage public bodies across Wales to sign up to the charter from today.’
The nine promises to care-experienced children and young people are, in abridged form:
- Listening to them and taking their views into account in all decisions about them
- Treating them with respect
- Involve them in all decisions about them
- Keeping them informed about the institution’s involvement with them and explain its actions to them
- Use straightforward language when communicating with them
- Show compassion when considering their needs
- Work with them to achieve their goals
- Advise them of the complaints process
- Advise them that they have a right of access to independent advocacy
Image: Bruno Nascimento
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