After years of being left out, a teenager in care says he now feels “valued and listened to” after a landmark decision by Wigan Council. Rorey Scriven, a 16-year-old from Wigan living in care, hailed the cross party agreement to make care experience a protected characteristic in his home borough.
After Coun Jenny Bullen’s motion was passed at full council in the town hall, it means that every council policy set should consider the needs of children and young people in care and those who have left care by placing an additional characteristic in the council's Equality Impact Assessments. This will give them formal recognition and make sure that all decisions have to take into account the needs and impact on all those who are care experienced.
“This ensures that not only young people and children in care, but care leavers have their voice heard within every policy and debate that council has,” Rorey said after the meeting.
