Work in Sunderland to tackle discrimination against children who grew up in care

Sunderland City Council, earlier this week, supported a motion setting out key pledges around children and young people with experience of the care system.

People referred to as “care experienced” do not currently benefit from legal protections against discrimination under law, with campaigners calling for changes to be made to national legislation.

This includes making care experience a “protected characteristic” in the same way the law treats discrimination against age, disability, race, religion and other protected characteristics.

A motion presented by Labour councillors on Wednesday, January 25, set out a local commitment for Sunderland City Council to “treat care experience as a protected characteristic until such time as it may be introduced by legislation”.

The motion included calls for the council’s partners, contractors and other bodies to follow suit, as well as the council “seeking out and listening to the voices of care experienced people when developing new policies”.

Councillor Louise Farthing, cabinet member for children, learning and skills, launched the motion at a full council meeting at City Hall.

Cllr Farthing read out a letter from the Change Council, a group of care experienced young people in the city who campaign to help shape future services.

The letter urged Sunderland City Council to “follow the example” of several other city councils in voluntarily introducing care experience as a protected characteristic.

Proposed benefits, set out in the letter, included increased awareness and support throughout adult life to “ensure that care identity does not impact on future prospects”.

Liberal Democrat councillor Paul Gibson praised the Labour motion which, if fully implemented, he said, would “transform the prospects of young people in care in the city”.

Cllr Gibson proposed an amendment to the Labour motion, including calls for the council’s chief executive to write to Sunderland’s MPs asking them to campaign to amend legislation to extend the list of protected characteristics.

The Lib Dem amendment, which was backed by Labour councillors, also included a request to support the provision of Universal Basic Income for young people leaving care to “give them a helping hand” with accommodation and subsistence costs.

During discussion on the motion, several councillors spoke out about the importance of the issues and shared personal insights.

This included Conservative councillor Simon Ayre, who reflected on his career as a health visitor working to protect children against discrimination and “all the other issues and evils that they had to deal with”.

The opposition councillor described the motion as “a great starting point” to look at in-depth issues faced by children who are cared for or vulnerable and to “explore new approaches to meet all needs”.

Cllr Ayre added: “I started in Sure Start over in Southwick 20 years ago and this and all those problems they existed.

“They exist today and I’m sad to say they’re going to exist in the future whatever steps we take.

“This is going to happen because no child has any influence over the circumstances they’re born into or their family”.

Labour councillor Denny Wilson added: “One of the most emotional things that happened to me, as a councillor, was the children when they come to talk to you.

“One of them said ‘we’re not bad kids, why is it when we’re put out you put us in the worst places to live’.

“These kids […] they have nobody to turn to and sometimes if they do borrow money, it comes with strings attached.

“So anything that can help these kids would be great”.

After being put to the vote, the amended motion won unanimous support across the council chamber.