The Promise
The Promise is a list of commitments that we make to all children and young people in care in Devon.
We listened to your experiences, thoughts and opinion to understand what’s important to you. And, working together, we’ve created a set of promises built around five key areas: Inform Me; Involve Me; Celebrate Me; Respect Me; Support Me. You can find details of all the commitments in The Promise below.
If you feel that a Promise is not being followed, please talk this through with your carer, social worker or IRO. Occasionally there are very particular reasons why something might not be possible. This should be explained to you in a way you understand.
Inform me!
We will:
• Talk to you about why you are in care and help you understand more about your family.
• Help you understand what happens when you become an adult and leave care.
• Make sure you know a person you trust who you can speak to for support.
• Let you know all you need to know.
• Speak to you in ways you understand and that are caring.
• Let you know personally if we are no longer going to be able to work with you or are leaving.
Involve me!
We will:
• Include you and listen to you in meetings.
• Use positive language if we are talking about you.
• Ask you about which possessions you want to keep and who you want to stay in touch with.
• Try to let you stay overnight at your new place, to test it out, if you need to move home.
• Try to give you choices about things, based on your views and wishes.
• Help you get your voice heard.
• Do what we say we’re going to do. We won’t make a promise if we can’t keep it.
• Protect your confidentiality by not telling your carers what you tell us unless you are at risk of serious harm. If we need to tell other people, we will explain that to you.
Celebrate me!
We will:
• Celebrate your achievements – we will have high ambitions and aspirations for you.
• Celebrate religious festivals with you, or help you celebrate them with others.
• Where appropriate, celebrate your ‘moving in to foster-family day’ each year if you would like that.
Respect me!
We will:
• Check your bedroom sensitively and ask your consent. We will respect your personal space and belongings.
• Not make you stand out as being in care. We’ll have a conversation with you to find out what you prefer.
• Treat you fairly and equally in the household so that you feel at home.
• Try to make sure that if you stay over with other people, that you know and enjoy being with them.
• Understand what it means to be a teenager and the need to take some controlled risks in life.
• Understand and respect your identity, including your religion or beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, disabilities or health needs and ethnicity.
• Help you keep hold of your birth language and culture.
Support me!
We will:
• Help you make happy memories.
• Support you to make friends and stay in touch with all the people who are important to you.
• Support you to build your confidence and overcome your fears.
• Support you to do your best in school – especially if you’re having difficulties at school, like with bullying.
• Help you find work experience opportunities related to what you’re interested in.
• Support you where possible to have a mobile phone and use it safely from age 11.
• Support you to have a healthy lifestyle in body and mind.
• Support you with opportunities to try new things and explore your interests, ambitions and aspirations.