The Children in Care Council (CICC) is a group of 15 young people from East Sussex aged between 11 and 17 who all live in care. We get together to have our say on issues that matter to us and other young people in care.

The CICC meet every month, usually at the Archery Youth Centre in Eastbourne. We’ve been meeting since September 2008. These are not public meetings, but you can come along if the CICC invite you. We meet with Leaders from the Council at least twice a year to put forward our views.

We are trying to help improve the lives of children in care, by letting those in charge know what life in care is really like. We go to other events too, like conferences in London. This helps us understand what is going on in the rest of the country and gives us the chance to meet other looked after children. We get to mix with lots of different people which helps build our confidence.

Some issues we have been working on this year are:

• fundraising
• having our photos taken for the media
• finding the best ways of getting the views of young people who have disabilities
• improving the personal educational plans (PEPs) we do at school
• helping to write the Pledge, which is a list of Council promises to all looked after children.

If you live in care, you can get in touch with the CICC about anything in your life that you’d like to speak out about. For example, it could be about your education, your social workers or where you live. The CICC can support you to talk about whatever issue you want, and can put you in touch with other people who can help.

Contact us at:

Children in Care Council
3rd Floor
St Mark's House, 14 Upperton Road
Eastbourne
East Sussex BN21 1EP
Phone: 01323 747159, or call or text Meshelle Dixon, CICC coordinator on 07920 591138.

Email: cicc@eastsussex.gov.uk

Do you live in care? Or do you have friends who live in care? Leave us a comment