This month we are celebrating our unique Co-Parenting Month. This recognises the achievements, resilience and potential of children in care and care leavers across the county.
Today also marks the start of Care Leavers' Week (Wednesday 25 October to Wednesday 1 November). Each year we use the national event to celebrate the achievements of all our care leavers in Essex.
When a child enters care, the responsibility that would normally belong to a parent becomes the responsibility of everyone.
Last year, we launched Our Co-Parenting Strategy 2022 to 2027. It was developed with input from children and young people through the Children in Care Council.
It details five priorities for being a good Co-Parent in Essex:
- self
- health
- home
- learning
- independence
Our Children in Care Council has recently been recognised for its innovative contributions by being shortlisted for two important awards.
The Proud to be Me peer support group is shortlisted for a Children and Young People Award in the Safeguarding Award category. This is Us, a poetry book written by children in care and care leavers, has also been shortlisted for a Children and Young People Now Award.
Councillor Beverley Egan, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Early Years, said:
It’s important we take time to recognise our young people’s achievements, whilst also reaffirming our ongoing commitment to children in care and care leavers across Essex.
Care Leavers Week and Essex Co-Parenting Month are great opportunities to do this and we will be marking them with young people in Essex as we do every year.
The council has recently signed up to the Care Leaver Friendly Employer Charter. This is part of the Care Leaver Covenant, which recognises the council’s commitment to support care leavers aged 16-25 to help them live independently.
