New youth council formed for looked after children

A new youth council has been formed by Neath Port Talbot Council for looked after children to have their say on issues that matter to them.

Set up by the Council’s Children and Young People Services team, the purpose of the youth council is to give young people in care an additional channel to ensure they are heard, their concerns are dealt with and improvements are made going forward. It is also an opportunity for looked after children to meet others to share similar concerns, work together for change and socialise.

The new youth council is made up of young people in care between the ages of 11 and 18 who meet up on a monthly basis. Issues that arise at the meeting are fed back to senior officers to help shape how services are delivered in the future.

At the first meeting held in June, the children were tasked with coming up with a strapline and logo to help give the new council its own identity. The strapline they have decided to use is ‘your voice matters’ to reflect one of the main reasons the youth council was formed. At the next meeting in July, they are set to discuss the development of a bespoke webpage so young people can access information such as available support and useful contacts.

Councillor Alan Lockyer, Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Services said:

“I am delighted a new youth council has been set up specifically for children and young people in care. It will be a great opportunity to find out what sort of issues affect them and how we can tailor our services to meet their needs.

“Our aim is to ensure all young people in care are given the best start in life”.