Coram Spring Newsletter 2021

Spring 2021

Always here for children and young people In this issue: Hear from a young care leaver we helped, the Story of Care and much more…

Coram is the UK’s oldest children’s charity and has been supporting vulnerable children for nearly 300 years.

We provide children with the best possible chance in life by finding them a home, advocating for their rights, and developing their skills.

What’s going on Share your SCARF

Mental health is more important than ever right now.

Coram Life Education have produced some great resources which teachers can share with parents to help them support their children’s mental health at home.

Our SCARF toolkit is based on the five routes to wellbeing: Safety, Caring, Achievement, Resilience and Friendship and includes: • Daily activities for children to enjoy at home or school • Thought-provoking material to aid discussions • Resources to support parents, carers and teachers • Personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) activities Visit www.coramlifeeducation.org.uk/scarf/scarf-at-home

Dear Friends, Whatever lies ahead, we’re determined to ensure our ch ildren and young people get the lov e and opportunity they need to thrive.

Over the past year, we’ve be en working harder than eve r to provide our services safely within the constraints of new guidelines. In addition, we’ve been looking to address big ger issues of inequality which ha ve been amplified throughou t the pandemic.

Coram’s own story is one of evolution and, as you read thi s newsletter, I really hope you will be inspired by the way tha t you are helping us to adapt to me et the new challenges we fac e.

We’re always learning and ad apting as we seek to bring lov e and opportunity to children, you ng people and their families in the most effective way. Please do n’t underestimate the role you play in making this all happen.

Thank you so much,

Rachel Backshall Fundraising Director

What’s inside 4-5 Love and Opportunity 6-7 Always Heard 8-9 Bringing the Story of Care to Life 10 What’s On 11 Future Plans 12 Could you be a Digital Transcriber?

Love and Opportunity As we adapt to an ever-changing world, our commitment to provide children, young people and their families with love and opportunity is stronger than ever.

While we have been fighting a global health crisis, a social tragedy has been unfolding for our nation’s young people. Children and young people have been silently bearing the mental, social and emotional stress of the pandemic and will do so for years to come.

In light of this, our work has never been more important, and we’ve quickly adapted our key services in response. Our Coram Beanstalk and Coram Life Education have been developing online videos and resources for teachers and parents to support children’s reading and wellbeing; we’ve moved creative 4

therapies online; we’re also helping local authorities to adopt best practice as they support young people in care.

In the last year, with your help, we enabled 144,720 children, young people and their families to access vital services. Here are just a few of the ways your support is helping to ensure children and young people get the love and opportunity they need to thrive.

Building loving families We’ve continued to find loving families for children in care and ensure our adoptive families receive ongoing support. As adopters Diederick and Fiona explain, “Coram

has not just helped my family - it’s a charity that does vital work for all kinds of vulnerable children. More than ever this year, they have had to adapt to find new ways of reaching and helping those children.”

Helping young people develop self-confidence Creative therapies provide lifechanging support to young people like 15-year-old Paul* who accessed music therapy when he was struggling at school. “Paul began to use the sessions to explore the life he might like to live and voice his aspirations to become a youth worker or a mental health nurse,” his therapist told us.

Ensuring children’s rights are upheld We’re also helping to shape policy at a top level, including through reports such as ‘Children left out? Securing children’s rights to stay in the UK beyond Brexit’ published by Coram Children’s Legal Centre (CCLC). “It has never been more important that every child who grew up here is able to face their future with safety and security,” says Dr Carol Homden CBE, CEO of Coram.

It’s a charity that does vital work for all kinds of vulnerable children. * Stories are real but names have been changed to protect confidentiality.

5

Always Heard

Throughout the pandemic, demand for safety net advocacy from children in and leaving care has increased by 17%.

Always Heard is the national advocacy advice helpline and safety net service for children in and leaving care in England. Coram Voice delivers this vital service on behalf of the Department for Education.

The pandemic brought with it additional challenges for children and young people within the care system.

Placements were delayed, family visits disrupted and meetings with social workers were put on hold. The crisis also fuelled family breakdowns and homelessness - all of which has taken a toll on the mental health and wellbeing of young people.

As 19-year-old Layla*, who was also supported by an advocate, told us, “I haven’t seen anyone. It feels like no one cares.” This is why Always Heard is so vital. We make a commitment to never turn a child or young person away; to ensure they get advice about their rights; and to provide an advocate for all those who need one.

Isla’s Story It’s a bold promise, which means we can help young people like Isla*. Isla

is a care leaver who got in touch a few weeks after turning 18. She was out of her mind with worry. After living in semi-independent accommodation since she was 16, she’d been told - out of the blue - that her case had been closed by Children’s Services.

Imagine the fear she must have felt at the prospect of being made homeless in the middle of a pandemic. Isla’s local advocacy service told us they’d reached their capacity and couldn’t help. So, we found a Safety Net advocate to help Isla make a complaint and get the support she needed. In a matter of weeks, Isla’s situation had been resolved.

In the last year, Always Heard has provided 700 young people, like Isla, with an advocate when no one else would help. In short, we ensure they have the love and opportunity they need to thrive.

We know it’s an approach that changes lives. As 19-year-old Layla told us, “I have managed to achieve a lot of my goals. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without an advocate helping to get my voice heard.”

Visit coramvoice.org.uk/latest/always-heard-2020-report to read the 2020 Always Heard report in full.

6

In the past year, Always Heard provided: • 8,500 signposting advice contacts or referrals to young people’s advocacy services.

• 15,900 information and advice sessions increasing understanding of young people’s rights.

I haven’t seen anyone.

It feels like no one cares

* Stories are real but names have been changed and models are used to protect confidentiality 7

Bringing the

Story of Care to Life

An exciting new initiative is enabling over 100 young people to examine identity, develop their creativity and build resilience as they delve into our archives.

The Story of Care: Voices Through Time is a four-year project funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to explore the history of care and how it impacts the future.

8

Our Foundling Hospital archives contain thousands of handwritten records going back to the 1700s, including personal letters and books containing fabric tokens left by mothers as a symbol of connection to their children.

The project includes two distinct components: an ambitious project to digitise a major portion of Coram’s

archive (which you can read about on page 12); and a series of creative projects to engage young people.

a chance to delve into documents and photographs exploring the care system of years gone by.

Through creative initiatives, including short films and theatre productions, those with experience of care will use our archives to reflect on life, love, opportunity and their hopes for the future.

Nkechi who took part in the project and is now a programme ambassador, said: “Being able to learn about Coram’s archive was an invaluable experience – it was fascinating, heart-breaking and inspiring. I got so much from taking part. It revived my sense of purpose, gave me structure and inspired other creative projects.”

We began by inviting eight young people to join us for our Letters from Lockdown project. Through weekly online workshops, they had

“What’s In A Name?”, a spoken word project for 16 to 25 year olds working with rapper Ric Flo will be starting in April. Sign up or find out more at coramstory.org.uk/get-involved.

9

Get Involved!

We can’t wait to welcome you back to our live events in 2021.

Why not set yourself a challenge and support the work that Coram is doing to bring love and opportunity to children and young people. We have places available in some of the most popular events across the UK, and we would love to welcome you to #TEAMCORAM. Run for Coram London Landmarks Half Marathon – 1st August Brighton 10k – 12 September 2021 London Marathon – 3 October 2021 Cycle for Coram DIFC London to Brighton – 12 September 2021 London to Paris – 17-19 September Swim for Coram Swim Serpentine – 18 September 2021 Host your own virtual event There are plenty of other ways you can help to raise money for Coram, too. Could you organise a board games tournament or even offer a skill in exchange for a donation to support Coram?

Get in touch and we can help you set up a great event.

People who know us have witnessed the life changing impact Coram can have on a family. We will forever be indebted to them and are privileged to be asked to fundraise and take part in their challenges.

Kelly – Adopter and 2020 Challenge 1739 participant

For more information on events Visit: www.coram.org.uk/support-what-we-do/challenge-events 10

Looking to the Future

Childca re

Megan Jarvie, Sam

Survey 2021

Shorto and Ha nnah P arlett

Alongside our work directly with young people, we’re also relentless in championing the development of better services and national policy making.

Government review into the children’s care sector We are urging the government to put the voices of children and young people at the centre of their new review into the children’s care sector. Coram’s Chief Executive, Dr Carol Homden explains, “The issues are pressing, with record numbers of children being looked after by the state.”

Call for independent commission to protect children Coram have joined a number of charities in calling for an independent commission to protect children from the longer-term effects of the pandemic. We believe that an independent commission could bring together representatives from across the sector to help inform cross-government strategy.

Coram Family and Childcare Report Our Coram Family and Childcare report into the childcare sector warns that closures are likely to lead to shortages in childcare. Childcare is vital for families – it not only enables parents to work but also boosts children’s outcomes and prepares them for school.

Find out more at www.familyandchildcaretrust.org/childcare-survey-2021 11

Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Can you help us bring children’s stories to life?

The Foundling Hospital was the UK’s first home for children. We’re recruiting volunteers to help us transcribe over 100,000 pages of Coram’s Foundling Hospital archive, covering the years 1739–1910.

This includes letters from mothers appealing for their babies to be admitted, fabric tokens they left as a symbol of their connection to their children, and details of the everyday lives of children cared for there.

Volunteering is remote and completely flexible – all you need is a device with access to the internet. With your help, the records will be brought to life for new audiences who will be able to view them online for free.

Become a volunteer at coramstory.org.uk/get-involved #RealStoriesOfCare

If you would like to find out more about Coram or donate, you can visit us at coram.org.uk or email us at supportercare@coram.org.uk The Thomas Coram Foundation for Children. Registered charity no. 312278 Established by Royal Charter in 1739. IG-2021-SN