The Isle of Wight Council is pledging to continue striving to improve provision for looked-after children as part of its One Island programme. By September this year, the local authority will establish a ‘Children in Care’ council.
This is part of a new government scheme due to come into force this year. The project allows young people in care to regularly meet with senior members of Isle of Wight Council to talk about the services they receive.
They can share their views on how well the services are working and ideas to improve them. It will be a chance to shape them to further meet their needs. The meetings would be held with the council’s Director of Children’s Services and the Cabinet member for Children & Young People.
The Isle of Wight Council has prided itself on the small number of 16/17 year olds who are currently not in education or training at less than 5%. This figure has grown recently and the council wants to return to its previous position and reduce this even further.
Several schemes are being launched as part of One Island to meet this target. This includes working with 16 and 17 years olds not in education or training to help them into work or a learning environment. The council will work with teenage parents to offer support and advice to tackle the number of teenage pregnancies. While the number of teenage pregnancies on the Island is low compared to the UK average, the figure has risen in recent years.
Cllr Alan Wells, Isle of Wight Council Cabinet member for Children & Young People said “Striving to meet the needs of looked after children and other vulnerable people is a key part of the council’s latest One Island programmes. Our Island youngsters deserve to have the best opportunities in life and we will be doing all we can help them meet their ambitions’
