Liberal Democrats in Redcar & Cleveland were successful yesterday in getting the council to fully recognise the discrimination often faced by people after leaving care.

Liberal Democrats persuaded Redcar & Cleveland Council to vote unanimously for a motion which commits the council to treating care experience as if it were a protected characteristic, like race or religion.

Lib Dem Councillor Alison Barnes, who represents Zetland ward, proposed the motion, saying:

“I am delighted that the council has backed this. Care experienced people often face discrimination in education, employment and when accessing services. They often faced been stigmatised, and unfair assumptions are made about their character.

“The McCallister Independent Review of Children’s Social Care published in May 2022 said that Government should make care experience a protected characteristic. That hasn’t happened yet, but the council can be the vanguard of the response to the McCallister report and put the needs of care leavers at the heart of decision-making.”

Lib Dem Council Group Leader Karen King, who represents the St Germains Ward of Marske, is Chair of the council’s Corporate Parenting Board. She seconded the motion, adding:

“The council won’t just treat care experience as if it was a protected characteristic, we will call on other public bodies to do the same.”

Terry Galloway, Managing Director of the national organisation Care Leaver Offer, attended the meeting yesterday and said:

“Speaking at Cleveland today was an honour, the motion passed but the best bit was the response from councillors especially one who was care experienced herself and told me what I was doing makes her proud. I am so grateful to her and the cross party support. Our children in care and care leavers are the only group that have the council as parents. The Redcar & Cleveland councillors understood that today.”