Pass the Parcel: Children passed around the care system
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It’s deeply concerning that the number of children in care in England could reach almost 100,000 by 2025, according to new analysis
The commissioner’s report, titled Pass the Parcel, identifies a 13% increase in the number of minors housed outside their English local authority area over four years.
More than half of children (52%) living out of their local area have special educational needs and a quarter (24%) have social, emotional and mental health identified as their primary need. These are therefore often children who struggle to process change and need routine and consistency to stay calm and content. They may take a long time to build trust with adults and feel settled, and yet this group are at risk of chronic instability at the hands of the care system.
How young people feel:
- “I feel like a parcel getting moved around all the time” – girl, more than 100 miles from home
- “I’d never heard of this area” – boy, 75 miles from home
- “I feel isolated. I don’t even know where I am… you feel like you have no-one” – girl, in care
- “I don’t even know where I am on the map” – girl, 80 miles from home
- “I never unpack ’cause I know I’ll be passed on somewhere else in a few weeks” – girl in care
Many children in care have experienced abuse, neglect or other forms of trauma.
At Genuine Futures we believe It’s imperative that young people in care are provided with the care, support and meaningful opportunities they need to be healthy and safe, and that they have access to the same opportunities as their peers and move successfully into adulthood.
Our mission is clear… To support those in our communities that need it most.
We aim to educate support and empower those individuals that have otherwise struggled to make traction in their lives.
As well as getting our young people involved in the community activity, we understand that the skills being developed are wholeheartedly transferable.
In view of this, we believe that the earlier the intervention the better chance we have of operating at the prevention level rather than at cure.
With this in mind, we are actively looking for organisations that aligned with our mission and who are receptive to a conversation around the kind of support that has the potential to literally change people’s lives.
We believe and unlock their true potential.