Children in care feel they have little influence over their lives

30 Mar 11
Children in care are less likely to be bullied than they were three years ago but still complain that their opinions are ignored.
By Mark Smulian

 

31 March 2011

Children in care are less likely to be bullied than they were three years ago but still complain that their opinions are ignored.

Those are among findings from the third annual care report of the children’s rights director Roger Morgan, published by Ofsted today.

He received 1,123 responses to his survey from children who were in care or living away from home. Of these, 53% felt they had a say in what happened to them but only 51% of this group felt that their views made a difference to decisions taken about their lives, while 15% felt their opinions made no difference.

Every child in care should have a care plan and be involved in its preparation, but the report found 22% did not know whether they had such a plan and another 18% felt they had little influence over its content.

Morgan said: ‘Compared with previous years, the children surveyed are less anxious about their safety and in general there is a decline in bullying being reported.

‘However, not enough is being done to ensure children are consulted on what happens to their lives and that their opinions are considered and can make a difference to decisions made.’

Fewer care leavers in 2010 felt they had received help in getting a job, at 34% against 44% in 2008, the first year of the survey. But the proportion saying they received support to enter higher education rose over the same period from 38% to 45%.

The percentage of children saying they worried a little or a lot about their safety was down slightly from 43% in 2009 to 36% in 2010, while the proportion concerned about bullying fell from 35% in 2008 to 24% last year.

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