A new Tool Kit has been officially launched by Helen Mary Jones AM - Assembly Chair of the Children and Young People's Committee, designed to make it easier for Welsh local authorities to recruit Independent Visitors for children in care.

Tros Gynnal, the children and young peoples’ rights charity in Wales, has produced the ‘Positive Roles Tool Kit’ to help Local Authorities meet the requirements of the 1989 Children Act for Independent Visitor (IV) support to children who are separated from their families.

The new initiative, which has been piloted in a number of local authority areas for three years, was launched at The Pierhead Building, Cardiff Bay on the 15th March.
Funded by a WCVA Grant, the project provides Local Authorities with best practice guidance on how to develop the service and access contracts and documentation - enabling them to meet their obligations to appoint IVs for children in their care.

Roger Bishop Executive Director Tros Gynnal said:
“Many of the 4,700 children in the Welsh care system have no contact with their birth families and there is often no one consistent person who takes long-term interest in their lives. Social workers, foster carers, teachers and residential care staff can change and will not continue to be involved with the young people when they leave care.”

According to Tros Gynnal, the most effective relationships are built up through children being matched with Independent Visitors closer to their own age.

Mr Bishop said:  “Young people told us they wanted an independent visitor, who was young, could relate well to them and be a positive role model in their lives – like a big brother or sister. For many children in care this may be the only long-term relationship in their lives to date.

Local Authorities in England are now implementing The Children Act 2008 which has widened the criteria further, so that all looked After Children are entitled to an Independent Visitor.  We are keen to help Local Authorities when this is implemented in Wales.”

Spencer Lewis, the Facilitator of the Cardiff Care Leavers Forum who has been in Care for most of his life, will be speaking at the launch about his experiences.

The Children’s Commissioner for Wales supports this intiative and Eleri Thomas, Chief Executive Officer of the Children’s Commissioner’s Office will be speaking at the launch.

Sharon Gay who recruits and supervises the volunteers at Tros Gynnal, says being an Independent Visitor is a very rewarding and inspiring experience.

“It is not just a question of allocating a volunteer to any young person. We take care to specifically recruit our volunteers to match the needs of each individual young person who are very involved in the process and get to choose their independent visitor. 

This ‘matching’ helps to ensure a positive experience for all involved and has contributed to the success of the project.” 

Copies of the Positive Roles Tool Kit are available from:

familycircle@trosgynnal.org.uk