Too many young people in care in England are missing out on the support from independent mentors to which they are entitled by law, says Barnardo’s.
The 1989 Children’s Act says councils must appoint volunteers to “visit, befriend and advise” children in care if it is in their best interests.
But research by the charity last year suggested only 3% of looked-after children were matched with a mentor. Council bosses said there was an urgent need to recruit more volunteer mentors.
Independent mentors are unpaid and work independently of social services to build trusting and positive relationships with the children they are allocated.
The idea is that they remain consistent, not changing when placements or social workers change, sharing trips and activities and sticking up for children to ensure their rights are respected.
Researchers for Barnardo’s and the Tudor Trust grant-making charity sent out Freedom of Information requests to 152 local authorities in England.
Responses from 149 of them showed:
– 2,200 looked-after children were matched with a mentor – 3.2% of the population
– 1,000 children were on a waiting list for a mentor and two-thirds of local authorities had waiting lists
– Eight local authorities said they did not have an independent mentor service
The report notes that a waiting list for the service may not necessarily indicate a problem – but rather that social workers value the service and are keen to refer children to it.
When councils were without waiting lists, this was often because social workers were unaware of the service or it did not exist at all, the report found. Read more
