Cumberland Council votes to protect care leavers from discrimination

One care leaver's experiences of the system were relayed to the meeting

A new local authority has become the first in England to vote to protect care leavers by formally recognising they can face discrimination.

Cumberland Council agreed to make experience of the system a "protected characteristic" like disability, race and sexual orientation.

The motion received unanimous cross-party support on Friday.

The unitary authority will take over the running of the western part of Cumbria from 2023.

Shadow meetings are already being held and the proposal was put forward by children and families portfolio holder Emma Williamson.

"Cumbria County Council already has a care leavers core offer and I'll be making it my mission as the portfolio holder to ensure that offer comes through this transition so we can build on the support networks we already have in place," she said.

"It is vital that we design and deliver services for our care experienced young people with five key missions: they're provided with loving relationships, quality education, a decent home, fulfilling work and good health as the foundations of a good life."

Fellow member of the Labour leadership Elaine Lynch repeated the words of a care leaver who said: "It's like the system has already pre-determined our future before we've had chance to have a say."

Shadow meetings of the new council are being held before it officially takes over in 2023

Green Party councillor Helen Davison said that the motion would help service providers to understand that "when someone is even struggling to engage with a service, maybe it's about something that's gone on in their childhood."

The national review of children's services was led by Cumbrian Josh MacAlister, who was in attendance to see the historic moment, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Cumberland Council will take over the governance of Carlisle, Allerdale and Copeland on 1 April, 2023, while Westmorland and Furness Council will oversee Barrow, Eden, South Lakeland.