Bassetlaw Council pledges more support for young people leaving care

The council has now pledged to treat ‘care experience’ as if it was a protected characteristic, which will help to protect care leavers from discrimination, despite national legislation not yet being in place.

Bassetlaw is now the 33rd local authority to carry this motion following an Independent Review of Children’s Social Care headed by Josh McCallister, and a national campaign spearheaded by former care leaver and campaigner Terry Galloway.

Councillor Alan Rhodes, Cabinet Member for Corporate and Financial Services, who proposed the motion, said: “As councillors we want to challenge the negative attitudes and prejudice that exists against young people leaving the care system, and those who have care experience, and ensure they are given a greater level of support.

“We already have a ‘Local Offer’ in place across Nottinghamshire. However, this ocuncil would like to go further to support looked-after children, care leavers and care experienced people. That is why we have joined 32 other local authorities in treating care experience as if it were a protected characteristic.

“We are also calling on the Government to formalise this in UK law, as recommended by the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care.”

Bassetlaw, in partnership with Ashfield, Broxtowe, Gedling, Mansfield, Newark & Sherwood and Rushcliffe councils, already have a joint Local Offer in place, which provides support to care leavers, including council tax exemption; free leisure centre membership; a higher priority on housing waiting lists and an eligible to apply for council housing in any district in Nottinghamshire, irrespective of local connections; and, working with New Roots Housing, providing supported accommodation to vulnerable young people who don’t have a safe place to live.

Campaigner Terry Galloway was in Bassetlaw to see the motion passed and said: "I was overwhelmed by the welcome for this campaign in this district of Nottinghamshire. This council gets it and I’m so grateful to them for standing up for care experienced people."