The Redbridge Pledge for children in care aged 12 and over

The Redbridge Pledge is our commitment to all children and young people who are in care or are leaving care in Redbridge. 

Our pledge to children in care aged 12 years and over

• Before moving into a new placement, you will receive information about the placement and the area it is in. You will have a proper introduction to your carers unless you have to move in an emergency.
• We will give you information that you need at every point in your journey, from care to adulthood, presented in a way that you want including information on legal entitlements and the service you can expect to receive from us at different stages in the journey. We will make it clear to you what information about yourself and your time in care you are entitled to see. We will support you to access this when you want it, to manage any feelings that you might have about the information, and to put on record any disagreement with factual content.
• If it is safe for you and something that you want, we will help and support you to stay in contact with your family and other people that are important to you.
• We promise to make your care plans and pathway plans clear about the support you will receive from Redbridge. Together, we will talk about what this will be (for example where you live, what school or college you go to) and who will be responsible for making sure your plan is working for you. We will provide support to you set out in current regulations and guidance and this will include information, advice, practical and financial help and emotional support.
• We promise to make sure you feel safe where you’re living and are happy there. We promise to keep you safe from those who may try and harm you and we will provide someone to speak to you independently if you have been missing from care. We will work very closely with schools and partner agencies if we hear that you are being bullied or discriminated against in any way. We promise that you will meet with your social worker and your personal advisor on your own to talk to them about what is happening in your life.
• We promise to help you know what your rights are which means what you are entitled to as a child in care in Redbridge. We promise to tell you what plans we are making for you and we will always listen to what you feel is important. We can put you in touch with the Children’s Rights Advocacy Service if you feel you would like someone independent to talk to about your rights and the plans we make with you. They can speak up for you or help you to speak up yourself if there is an issue you feel you need to make representation about. We have a ‘Children in Care Council’ who have been set up to hear your views and influence decisions on your behalf about being in care in Redbridge.
• We promise to support you through your education. We will draw up a regular Personal Education Plan (PEP) with you to encourage you to achieve your ambitions and help you get the best results you can. We will celebrate and promote your achievements with you.
• When you have completed your education at school, we will prepare you as much as possible to pursue an apprenticeship, continue into 6th Form, or apply to go to college and then onto university.
• Your health is important to us. We will make sure that you are registered with local health professionals you need to see for example, local doctors, opticians, dentists. We will provide you with a “Health Passport”. This holds important information about your health history and your health needs. We will also provide you with a leisure pass and a MyMax card, to help you access facilities in and out of the Borough.
• We will work alongside you to prepare you for your move into independent living when you are ready. We will do everything we can to ensure you are happy and feel safe when doing so. We will help you think about the choices available and to find accommodation which is right for you. We recognise that at different times you may need to take a step back and start over again. We will do our best to support you until you are settled in your independent life.
• We promise to be a lifelong champion. We will work together with the services you need, including health, housing and education as well as helping you gain employment. We will treat you with courtesy and humanity whatever your age when you return to us for advice or support. We will trust and respect you and we will remain your supporters in whatever way we can, even when our formal relationship with you has ended.
• We promise to involve you in staff recruitment, training and in foster carers reviews so you have the best people working with you.
• We will provide opportunities for you to meet and socialise with children and young people in and leaving care locally and nationally to support each other, share experiences and work together to improve services in the future.

This pledge has been developed with young people in our care.