Guidance from the National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS) and the National Centre for Excellence in Residential Child Care says looked-after children must be involved in setting up the councils in each local authority. The councils, announced in the Care Matters white paper, will give children in care a forum through which they can give local authorities feedback on services.
The guidance says young people aged between nine and 18 chosen as members of a council should feel they have a say. The councils should also involve hard to reach groups such as younger children, disabled children, asylum-seeking children and ethnic minorities.
Claire Hyde, director of children's services at NYAS, said: "We hope this handbook will be a useful guide ensuring the effective introduction of children in care councils, so vulnerable children are not overlooked and all looked-after children are better able to make a contribution."
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