Partners launch the Belonging Charter

The Belonging Charter is for providers of residential homes for children in care and care leavers to pledge to support the children in their care to work collaboratively to create a sense of belonging for children and young people through practices that encourage harmony and reduce tension.

Amy Crawfurd, The High Sheriff of Northamptonshire said: “When I was appointed High Sheriff last April, I chose my focus to be young people in and around the criminal justice system. There is an over representation of children in care appearing in the youth court and I wanted to work with the police and crown prosecution service to ensure that the same trauma informed approach was used by them.

“I was also aware that children in care have varying experiences depending on the setting they are living in which is why I was so pleased when I knew that the Belonging Charter was being developed.

I am so thrilled, that by working together with children, young people, the community, providers and key partners we have produced the Belonging Charter.

The Charter aims to strengthen the voices of young people in care, promote equality, and ensure they have the support and opportunities needed to thrive. This is a fantastic achievement.”

Partners worked together with children and young people to create the Charter. The Charter offers guidance on creating a homely environment where children and young people can develop their individuality and feel empowered to thrive. It aligns with the Joint Protocol for the Decriminalisation of Children in Care and complements guidance for providers.

Aims of the Joint Protocol:

• Reduce Criminalisation: Decrease the number of children in care and care leavers entering the criminal justice system.
• Trauma-Informed Response: Prioritise trauma-informed responses by police and other agencies.
• Community Cohesion: Promote community cohesion and integration of residential settings with their immediate neighbours.

Key principles of the Belonging Charter:

• Be Safe: Ensuring a secure environment for all.
• Encouraged to Thrive: Promoting growth without unnecessary criminalisation.
• Listened to and Supported Appropriately: Heard and provided with the right support.
• Open communication: Having honest and transparent communication.
• Neighbourly: Fostering inclusive communities.
• Given Equal Opportunities: Ensuring fairness and equality.

Colin Foster, Chief Executive of Northamptonshire Children’s Trust, said: “We are thrilled to join forces with our partners to launch the Belonging Charter, which reinforces our collective commitment to making sure that all children and young people in care know that they are seen, heard, valued and feel part of their community.

“Each organisation brings unique strengths and insights which all contribute to improving standards of care, seeing children in care as children, who should have equal opportunities and feel that they belong in a community where they can thrive.”

Assistant Chief Constable Emma James, from Northamptonshire Police, said: “We welcome the introduction of the Belonging Charter which will help to provide support for some of the most vulnerable people in society.

“We’re working hard to help divert children away from crime, working with those at risk of exploitation to offer support while also offering restorative justice options when appropriate to do so.

“Working closely with partners across Northamptonshire, I’m hopeful that those children living in care will have every opportunity to flourish as they move into adulthood.”

The Belonging Charter Case Study:

Following a number of complaints from neighbours to Councillor Rosie Humphries about a home where children in care were living, she asked for a meeting with the residents, the provider of the home and the local police officer to discuss the issues.

It was apparent that the lines of communication needed to be opened to allow a mutual space for everyone to share concerns, frustrations and points of view.

Residents were worried about seeing the Police being called to the home, noise, inconsiderate parking and more. The overwhelming feeling from residents was one of anxiety as they didn’t know who was living in the home and didn’t understand the children’s needs.

Provider Homes2 Inspire run the home and are also part of the development of the Belonging Charter and alongside Northamptonshire Children’s Trust and Northamptonshire Police they worked with the residents, the home and the young people living there to dispel some of the misconceptions of children in care, resolve operational issues such as parking and noise etc.

The home is now very much part of the community with everyone living in harmony. Residents take birthday presents and cards round for the children and welcome them to the neighbourhood. The manager is in contact with the residents and has accompanied children to deliver baked goods to the neighbours.