Enhancing Inclusion in Thames Valley
Our Fostering Practice Transformation and Safeguarding Manager, Nichola, recently joined the FCA Thames Valley social work and participation team to review the region’s Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives. Here’s a highlight of the day’s discussions and progress.
Team members Kate, Jess, and Michaela recently begun developing an EDI strategy for the region, and we reviewed it together. We ensured the strategy was specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, while staff also contributed valuable ideas.
Next, we focused on data. The Thames Valley team does an excellent job of ensuring that young people’s details, including identity and ethnicity, are accurately recorded on Charms. We also reviewed cross-cultural audits and highlighted outstanding examples of our foster parents ensuring the individual needs of children and young people are met. The region excels at utilising the strengths and experiences of our foster parents to support their peers in the bespoke needs of our children.
Next, we talked about how we reach our children who are pre or non-verbal. The team shared their social work toolkit they have which includes puppets, white boards and pens and will shortly include playdough and clay. Social workers spoke passionately about the skill of observation, getting holistic feedback and building relationships to get the voice of the child who finds it hard to communicate whether or not they feel safe and happy. Jess also shared she is learning Makaton giving her more ways to communicate with our children and young people.
Jess then discussed the SEN activities offered in the region. These activities supplement those already offered but are specifically tailored to meet the unique needs of some of our young people in the region. There is also a WhatsApp group for our foster parents supporting children with disabilities.
I shared an article I had read on intersectionality. The Oxford Dictionary defines intersectionality as ‘the interconnected nature of social categorisations such as race, class, and gender, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage’. We talked about how we need to be aware of the many layers of discrimination our young people may face and noted how a question about it is now included in our cross cultural audit tool.
We came away feeling proud of what we are already achieving and excited for the next steps we will take. EDI runs through all of our work and it was good to regroup and reflect on what we all do together
