We are committed to tackling barriers that care leavers face so that they have the same opportunities as all young people in Barnsley. In recognition of this, Councillors today passed a motion in Full Council to acknowledge the experiences of care leavers as a protected characteristic in the borough.  

Despite the resilience of many care-experienced young people in Barnsley they, too often, experience stigma and disadvantage, which leads to inequality. Care-experienced young people often face discrimination and stigma across housing, health, education, relationships, employment and in the criminal justice system. 

Our commitment to providing children and young people in our care with the best quality support is lifelong. By treating their experiences as a protected characteristic, we can continue to fulfil our commitment to reducing barriers by putting the young people at the heart of our decision-making. 

As part of this motion, we will: 

• Recognise the experience of care among young people as a protected characteristic in the Borough. This will be included in the Council’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy. 

• Evaluate future decisions, services, and policies with equality impact assessments to determine the impact of any changes on care-experienced young people, alongside those who formally share a protected characteristic. 

• Proactively seek out and listen to the voices of care-experienced young people when developing new policies that affect them. 

• Call upon our partners, local service providers, employers, and local businesses to also treat care experience as a protected characteristic to promote equality and inclusion in our borough.  

Cllr Trevor Cave, Cabinet Spokesperson for Children’s Services, said: “I am proud to be part of a council that recognises the challenges faced by young people who have experienced care. 

“The voices of these young people are paramount to tackling these challenges, and as part of our duties, we must acknowledge their experiences when developing and providing services that affect them.  

“I am delighted to have passed this motion so that we can work to provide equal opportunities to care leavers and support them to enjoy healthy and happy lives.”