Half of children in care are afraid of prejudice
Nearly half of children in care are afraid of prejudice or bullying, or of being treated "differently" if people know their background, according to a new Ofsted report.
Young people in children's homes and foster care are particularly worried about employers, other young people, and potential landlords finding out they are in care, the children's rights director for England, Roger Morgan, says.
The survey of children in care also reveals concerns about their reputation among the general public. Almost half thought the public saw children in care as bad and uncontrollable, and just under a quarter thought they were seen as troublemakers.
Morgan says: "Children in care face a lot of challenges and unfortunately this can also include prejudices they encounter from other children, the general public, teachers and some professionals. Their concerns are understandable because not living with your birth family makes a big difference to your life experience."
However, the majority of children did report they were not treated either better or worse than others because they were in care. For most, being in care meant being supported and looked after properly by good carers or staff. For a few it also meant being safe. As one young person said, "I feel happier because I am away from abuse."
Morgan called for more action. "What is needed is more guidance, particularly in schools, to support children in care if needed, but without treating them differently from other children. What is also needed is a more informed attitude by the general public."
Clare Tickell, chief executive of Action for Children, responded to the report, saying: "Sadly, too many misconceptions exist around children in care. Not only do we need to dispel these, but raise awareness of the challenges youngsters face so people really understand the difficult paths their lives often take.
"Dealing with social prejudices should not be yet another challenge our most vulnerable young people have to face. Children in care often don't have the support network of their peers. We must rectify this and do all we can to ensure that they feel safe and listened to. This will enable them to work on their confidence and self-esteem, helping them to develop the resilience they need to overcome any prejudice they may encounter.
"Equally, we must all do everything we can to challenge the misconceptions surrounding children in care and recognise the harm that these prejudices cause. This report from Ofsted is a wake-up call to everyone and should be taken very seriously."
The Care and Prejudice report surveyed the views of 362 children invited to take part randomly from children's homes and foster care across the country. Of these, 276 completed a detailed survey.
Anna Bawden
4 August 2009
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/aug/04/children-in-care-prejudice
