The Department of Social Care encourages the children and young people in its care to express their views and has supported the Voices in Participation (VIP) programme to provide opportunities to do so. Recently the VIP Council decided to present their first big project to social workers, managers and politicians in Department of Social Care at a briefing in the Legislative Building. Their project included a 10% sample of children and young people in care (including residential care and foster care) being asked their views about their relationship with their social worker, things that they valued and things that they wanted their social worker to do more of. The information gathered in their surveys was collated into an 8 page booklet which included artwork created by the children and young people as part of this project. The Minister for Social Care Hon Chris Robertshaw MHK said: “I would like to thank all involved and those who have supported the VIP initiative. It is vital that Government in the form of politicians, civil servants, social workers and other caring professionals hear the voices of young people, particularly vulnerable young people such as looked after children to ensure we understand and meet their needs. This project is playing a vital role in doing precisely that. Our young people have worked really hard on this important project and they have given us some powerful messages which we now have to act on. My Department is committed to listening to their concerns and working hard to address them in order to help them to achieve the best quality of life that they can.” The Voices in Participation Council was created in July 2009 as a forum for young people in care aged from 11-25. The group meets at Cafe Laare (Youth Cafe in Douglas) every month to discuss their experiences of the care system. Members include young people living in the care of agencies St Christopher’s, the Children’s Centre and Fostering First. There is also a VIP Club aimed at younger children in care aged 6-10. The club is designed around having fun and having a say about experiences of the care system. Sessions so far have been about enjoying and achieving, being healthy, enjoying life and achieving, making a positive contribution and learning to prosper. Any young person in care can be on the VIP Council or anyone up to the age of 25 who was in the care of the IOM Government. For further details contact Aisha Howard on 431447 or email Aisha.howard@gov.im. Further details about VIP can be found on http://www.gov.im/socialcare/security/family/vip/ ENDS