Caring for the Black and In Care
The Black Care Experience is established by The Transformed You, to help shape a better care experience for black children and young people who are in Children’s Social Care, because there are issues relating to the disconnection from their culture, identity and heritage when in the System, issues of how they are being cared for in relation to their hair, skin and health, issues relating to how they see themselves and their community, issues relating to their experience of racism and discrimination in the System, which all impacts on their outcomes and life chances.
Now in relation to how Children/Young People who come into the Care System are to be cared for, we understand from the Childrens Act and Guidance, that there is a Legal Duty upon the Local Authority and those who are doing the caring, to take into consideration (amongst other factors) the racial background and ethnicity of the Child or Young Person being cared for.
With that in mind, it is not uncommon for The Black Care Experience to receive calls or emails from those in Children’s Social Care and from those who are doing the caring, of meetings where there is a passing of responsibility around the cost of taking a Black Child or Young Person to the Hairdressers or Barbers along with the debate about the cost of products for their hair or skin.
That said, our understanding is that whatever Children’s Social Care pay (fund) a Foster Carer or Residential Children’s Home, to care for any Child/Young person and in particular a Black Child/Young Person, the costs of hair care and skin care must also be taken into consideration and included in the Care Plan (Package of Care), for those who receive the funds (pay) to use the funds accordingly.
It is also not uncommon for The Black Care Experience to be asked about the skin care and hair care products needed. We hear from the Black Children and Young People who tell us “They think because we look alike, we use the same products”, which is often followed up by a call from a disgruntled Children’s Care Home Staff Member, Foster Carer or Social Worker who has spent money on ‘the wrong products’ or have given the Child or Young person the products they were told would help.
Black we define as as a Child and Young Person whose Ethnic Origin is either African, Caribbean including Mixed Race with African or Caribbean Heritage.
Now we understand, it’s not all about Hair Care and Skin Care, but the universal saying ‘If you look good you feel good’ will resonate with our Children and Young People who would like to present themselves, in a way that helps them to feel comfortable and proud of their culture, identity and heritage, giving them a positive sense of who they are and where they come from.
To that end, we encourage all who work in Children’s Social Care to please engage in Core Training or On-Going Professional Development to be equipped to raise, nurture and care for Black Children and Young People in your Care, as this will help to improve our care journey, our outcomes and life chances.
More Information about The Black Care Experience can be found here.
If you’re Black and Care Experienced (In Care or a Care Leaver), what do you think Children’s Social Care should know about how to care for your hair and skin. Let us know in the comments or send us an email.