Care leavers deserve more consideration for places at University.

Those who have been under the care of the local authorities will move out into independence just before their eighteenth birthday. In terms of school years this is around year 13. When this happens little support becomes available and many obstacles can arise impacting on a care leavers success. Different counties vary but many are still pretty underdeveloped and unable to give the right support to those in need.

This is where issues can occur:

Firstly a care leavers health can become affected. As humans we need certain elements for survival. Love and care are factors that contribute to a healthy development. When care leavers become independent they often have no one. Having no support plus trying to achieve can lead to stress and severely impact on the mental health of a young person. This can potentially lead to destructive behaviours and addictions. Not only this but if the care leaver can no longer deal with their life, how are they supposed to achieve an education?

Health isn't the only issue though. In various parts of the county no financial help is available for those previously looked after by the state. This means many care leavers rely on benefits. Some may work but the physical and mental strain of working and taking part in full time education can take a real toll. I know this from personal experience. Sometimes no matter how much a young person tries, the odds just aren't in their favour. If a young person can no longer afford to get to college what happens then?

Lets say a year or so forward, maybe the system has changed. Maybe it hasn't. Maybe there is more support in place. Maybe there's not.

The only finance available for those in education is a student loan. Student loans are only available to those doing a level 4 qualification eg. A degree. So, you would think that if a care leaver wants to achieve but has no money then they could just apply to University and get a loan. That loan would then cover their food and accommodation... But no, it's not that simple.

To get into university one must meet a certain criteria. This criteria being level 3 qualifications. A care leaver may have tried their hardest to gain these qualifications but yet obstacles and adversity have meant they haven't been able to even though they may be academically able.

When Universities see that a person doesn't meet the requirements they are often rejected without given any sort of chance to prove intellectual ability. In circumstances of laziness this is understandable. But care leavers aren't lazy they just often have limited options. To not be given the opportunity to do entry tasks etc and be given at least one chance is highly unfair.

The government wants less people on benefits and more working. A huge number of those who have been in the care system are now the ones claiming benefits. Not always out of choice, sometimes out of lack of options. 

If  more lenience and more consideration is given to care leavers by university admission departments along with more understanding and less judgement then maybe these resilient young people would go on to make a real difference and contribution to society.

I can only hope for the future.

David Cameron provides first sign of hope for those in care and care leavers.

Today I read an article titled 'Children in care let down for too long' says David Cameron'. 

The article starts by saying:

Writing in the Sunday Times, the PM promised "zero tolerance" of state failure around social care and a new covenant for those leaving care.

Upon reading this introduction I was obviously intrigued to carry on.  The fact that the government have finally actually put a thought into the social care system provided me with hope. The acknowledgement that the government has failed us as parents provides me with some content. 

He has said: Instead of "rigid rules and processes", social workers will be allowed to use their "experience and common sense to make good judgements". The reason that this is so important is because children in care all so very different and a lot of them very traumatized. Making a certain set of rules applicable for every child in the system can cause a lot of unnecessary distress as every situation is different and needs a different approach from someone with good judgement and knowledge of the circumstances.

With regards to care leavers such as myself, Cameron has pledged to give more support introducing a 'care leavers covenant'. This means that care leavers with clearly know what help they can get from local authorities. He has also said that up to the age of 25 care leavers will receive a mentor who will give them more personalised help.

Obviously this news is very promising however I really hope that Cameron doesn't fall through. Although the government has the power to change laws, make new laws etc essentially it is local authorities that then use them. I don't know about every county but certainly the county I am in is in vast need of improvement when it comes to support for care leavers.

Care leavers have a support worker/ personal advisor. Their job is provide care leavers with guidance and advice helping them to become independent. Care leavers get one of these when they turn eighteen instead of social worker. As often those previously looked after by the authorities have no family they are completely on their own when they turn eighteen hence why they have a PA. Most people still live at home when they are eighteen.

The problem I have is that I don't feel that these workers are getting the correct training. Now I can only speak from my experience but the team I'm under is severely understaffed. Each worker has a bout fifteen or so young people to work with. This means that time is very limited and individual needs get forgotten and devalued. Lots of care leavers don't bother because they don't have the support. They go on benefits and live a simple life which suits support workers. If you push yourself like I have it seems more of an effort for workers and like they almost wish you weren't achieving. 

What these PA's really don't understand is mental health. It's like they expect all young people to be a certain way. They forgot that lots of us have been abused. Lots of us have gone through trauma. Lots of us now have severe mental health problems which they aren't helping with. They're job is to make us independent but they don't seem to get that mental health can cause a strain on this. The stress I've had because of my illness mixed with the lack of knowledge from these workers has been draining. I've not known what to do half the time. The service manager is teaching his team in the wrong way. Teaching staff to work with us like we are the lower members of society. Just making sure that we are alive. Not caring what we do. Where we go.

Although I've gone slightly off topic, it's all relevant. David Cameron wants to improve the lives of care leavers? Then, there's a lot to do. These changes aren't a one man job, the whole system needs a make over and I really hope the government manage to be consistent with what they are going to do.

Here's the original article I read: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36295213

Panorama exposes teenage prison abuse and it's absolutely unacceptable.

I'm someone fully aware of what a cruel place the world can be. I'm aware of the abuse, discrimination and injustices surrounding vulnerable children. But sometimes I forget how horrible and unfair life is for some young people. 

Today I watched a panorama episode titled: Teenage prison abuse exposed. The link to this epsiode had come up on my Facebook newsfeed and I was intruged so I clicked on it. Five minutes in and my emotions were getting the best of me. I felt overwhelmed.

The programme is reported by 'Robert Charles' who goes undercover with a hidden camera attached to his clothing. He acts as a custody officer for security firm 'G4S'. The aim of this investigation was expose the unprofessional and abusive behaviour of the staff towards the children. The results are disgusting. 

These young people are between the ages of 12 and 18. Lots of them from a care background or suffer from mental/behavioural problems. For healthy development to grow into respectful adults of society these children need help to overcome their problems. 

In this episode there are so many outrageous breaches of power by the staff at the institution:

- Physical abuse - We are told by reporter Robert Charles about the correct training, We are told that restraints should only be carried out when neccisary. In this video we hear the staff talking about how much they want to hurt the children. We see them unnecessarily and inappropriately restraining the children in the incorrect ways, intentionally hurting them and enjoying it. 

- Not recording incidents/ lying about incidents - Robert is told by 'colleagues' about how incidents are not reported if they show a 'lack of control' for example four of the young people fighting. This is because the institution would face potentially being shut down. We also see that when staff initiate physical violence that they report it as the young person attacking them. 

This is a complete abuse of power. These are societies most vulnerable children and they do not deserve that. Between the age of 12-18 our brains are still developing and are at a crucial point. If trauma continues through this age it can be seriously damaging causing severe mental issues. Not only that but mistreatment of youths in prison often result in re offending. 

I am someone who has always tried to do good. I've never wanted to break the law or commit crime and yet I've been arrested, I know how unjust the world can be. I also know how childhood trauma can cause you to be seriously messed up as a teenager. I think many authorities such as the police, prison officers etc need further training on how to appropriately deal with teenagers. I do believe that sensitivity and more understanding is needed.

After years of abuse and over twenty foster placements I went into a children's home and I remember this made me very unsettled. I remember the police were called due to this and the police officer had no compassion at all. At twelve years old he called me a 'slag' amongst other things and threatened to pepperspray me. After looking up to police officers this traumatised me.

Now I know that not all police officers are like that, I respect what the police do so much. They look after our country and keep us all safe. I've always had that view so when that happened to me it was horrible.

But the sad reality is that there is a discrimination against young people. I'm someone who was abused as a child and assaulted by a staff member who worked in my children's home. Those adults who did that to me don't have any warnings on their record. But me, someone who has always respected the law even with the life I've had, does. 

I don't know if there's any justice is the world but there sure as hell needs to be. The treatment of those kids in that prison was absolutely unacceptable. Society will keep going round in an endless circle if something isn't done. These teenagers will grow into disrespectful adults have disrespectful children and so on and so on. There needs to be a change in this never ending tragic story. 

I really hope soon the government will tackle this discrimination and for once and all end it.

Here is this panorama episode, please watch it and share! Thank you. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b06ymzly/panorama-teenage-prison-abuse-exposed

First post of 2016: A new year, for some.

Sooooo, that's it, 2015 has been and thankfully gone!

No, 2015 wasn't an all bad year for me. I started Uni, I got a new job...

I could say '2016 is gonna by my year' but honestly, all I want is for 2016 to be a year where things don't go completely wrong for me.

January can be quite a sad month for a lot of people but frankly I'm quite glad that Christmas and New Years are over. They're both holidays that are over commercialised leaving care leavers and others feeling unwanted, unimportant and suicidal.

Who says that Christmas alone is a horrible thing? Who says that being without family at this time is the worst thing in the world?
It's all in our heads. Christmas, New Years, Valentines day... they can all be whatever we want. It's society that brings people down with the idea of a 'perfect Christmas' or a 'perfect new star to the year'.

New years day was great for me, I got to meet up with one of my best friends in Worthing. As I got to the train station on my way home I saw that all of the trains were delayed. The man working said how someone had jumped on the railway line at Arundel.

New Years day, the start of the year and someone had decided to taken their life. Why is New Years a time when this happens? Because of commercialisation! My heart mourned for that person and what they must have been going through. 

People say 'suicide is selfish' and 'they should have been thinking about their family'. This frustrates me so much. The people that say these things must not have a clue about how cruel life can be. We have one life, do you realise how far someone has to be pushed to not want the opportunity of living anymore? And there's always a presumption that's there's loved family members devastated by the death, how do you even know they weren't completely alone? Or that their family members aren't already dead? You don't and the assumptions really ought to stop.

I hope that every person feeling suicidal gets the help they need before it's too late. When you're in that place, the picture is so small.

I really like the film 'A long way down'. Whenever I'm feeling sad, it cheers me up. It's about four people who all go to the same place on top of a building somewhere in London on new years eve to end their lives. They all become great friends and unite together in finding happiness and individual meaning in their lives. Definitely watch it.

Rest in Peace to all those who sadly took their lives over the season.