Our promise

If you are a care-experienced young person or care leaver we promise to support you in your education, helping you to stay healthy and helping you to stay safe.

We also promise to keep in touch with you so that we are there when you need us.

Younger children (aged 5 to 11)

Sometimes children are not able to live with their parents and so they may need to be placed in our care.

When this happens, there are a number of things that we will do to make sure that you are safe and well cared for. We call these our ‘promises to you’.

Education

• we promise to help you to play and learn at a school that is right for you
• we will help you join clubs and after school activities near to where you live
• we will help you to make friends
• we will tell you how well you are doing and let you know how proud we are of you

Keeping you safe

• we promise to make sure you live somewhere safe where there will always be someone to take care of you
• we will make sure you can keep things that are important to you like your favourite toys.
• we will make sure you always have someone that you can talk to when you are feeling sad
• we will listen to what you like and don’t like

Keeping you healthy

• we will make sure you stay well and can see a doctor when you are poorly
• we will help you to eat healthy food and drinks that will make you grow big and strong
• we will help you to be happy and feel good about yourself
• we will help you to play safely outside and enjoy exercise

Keeping in touch

• we promise to help you to understand the reason why you are in care and will keep a story of your life for you to look at
• we promise to help you keep in touch with your family and friends, if it is safe to do so
• we will help you stay in touch with foster carers and friends if you want to, and will tell you if this can’t happen
• we will make sure that you have a social worker that you can talk to

Older children (aged 12 to 15)

Every child in our care will be treated fairly and respected as individuals. We will always seek to do everything we can to support and inspire you to be the best you can be.

Through everything we do, we will help you to develop strong and meaningful relationships with your family, friends, carers, teachers and social workers so that you are given the very best support available.

Education and training

• we promise to make sure that you have the best education possible and help you to plan for your future
• we promise to help you to enjoy new experiences and develop your own interests and hobbies
• we promise to celebrate your achievements and tell you how proud we are of you
• we promise to try and make sure that you don’t have to change school
• we promise to make sure that you get all the help and support you need to learn, achieve and succeed

Keeping you safe

• we promise to provide you with a safe and comfortable place to live
• we promise to listen to you and involve you in decisions that affect your life.
• we promise to help you feel safe, both in and out of your home.
• we promise to encourage and support you to express your views
• we promise to provide you with a trusted adult that can help you if you are feeling worried
• we promise not to do anything that will make you stand out as a child in care

Keeping you healthy

• we promise to support and encourage you to have a healthy lifestyle
• we promise to make sure you are cared for by people who can keep you safe and healthy and will teach you how to learn to look after yourself as you get older
• we promise to help you to access a range of leisure activities
• we promise to listen to any health issues you may have and will help you to get the support you need

Keeping in touch

• we promise to help you to understand the reason why you are in care
• we promise to help you keep in touch with your family and friends, if it is safe to do so.
• we promise to respect you as individuals and listen to what you want
• we promise to help you keep a record of important events, achievements and people in your life that are important to you
• we promise to help you take part in things you want to do such as school trips and fun activities

Older children and care leavers (aged 16 to 25)

By listening to our care-experienced young people, we have developed a list of promises that form our pledge to you as children in our care.

A pledge is an important part of running a service for looked after children and care leavers. It tells children and young people what we promise to do for them as their corporate parents.

Education, training and employment

• we promise to help you with your education and with finding the right employment and training opportunities
• we promise to encourage and support you into college or university and give you clear information about the support you can expect
• we promise to ensure that you have opportunities for work experience and employment such as apprenticeships and traineeships
• we promise to support you to have different experiences and access to activities that may interest you

Keeping you safe

• we promise to help you to decide where you want to live and will help to keep you safe and comfortable
• we promise to help you to stay with your foster carers if this is possible
• we promise to help you to manage your money and ensure you have financial stability ready for your future
• we promise to help you to get important documents like passports and driving licence
• we promise to pay for your council tax, even if you live outside of Walsall Council
• we promise to provide you with opportunities to build your confidence so that you are able to make your own decisions about your safety

Keeping you healthy

• we promise to help you to access health services and have access to your health passport
• we promise to go with you to health appointments and support you if you need it
• we promise to help you to access local leisure facilities to help you keep fit and well
• we promise to make sure you have someone to talk to or can access support with your mental wellbeing

Keeping in touch

• we promise to help you to keep in contact with people that are important to you
• we promise to celebrate your achievements with you
• we promise to respect you as individuals and have high aspirations for your future
• we promise that you will always have someone to contact