We Do Care
About We Do Care
If you are a child in care or a care-experienced young person, We Do Care is your chance to have your voice heard and make a difference.
We Do Care is Buckinghamshire’s Children in Care Council, bringing together young people to share their views, influence services, and help improve things for other children and young people with care experience.
To join or get in touch
Email wedocare@buckinghamshire.gov.uk, or WhatsApp Angel on 07713 687 181.
Get involved
You can get involved by becoming a Care Ambassador. Care Ambassadors are care-experienced young people aged 12 to 25 who help shape services, speak up about issues that matter to them, and take part in regular meetings and social activities.
Why join?
As a Care Ambassador, you can:
- Meet other care-experienced young people
- Share your ideas in a safe and supportive space
- Help improve services for children in care
- Take part in fun activities and try new things
- Build confidence, skills, and self-esteem
At the heart of We Do Care
“The best part of my job is building long-term relationships with our children and young people. We are here for them as they navigate childhood and transition into adulthood, experiencing different parts of the care system along the way. Being a consistent person is so important for children and young people who have experienced a lot of change. I’ve had the joy of working with some of these young people for almost 10 years, watching them grow, make new friendships, settle into schools, jobs, colleges and university. They make me so proud!”
– Angel, Youth Participation Worker for We Do Care
“The space We Do Care provides for our young people is so valuable and we would be lost without it. We started working with We Do Care around 8 years ago, and I can wholeheartedly say, that without We Do Care, our young people would have found coming to terms with being in care so much more difficult. It should never be underestimated how therapeutic the groups are – they allow our young people to meet others with similar backgrounds, explore and reflect on their own selves and recognise that they are not the only ones unable to live in whatever their biological family home may be. We have personally seen the growth, confidence and self acceptance of young people in our care, who take part in We Do Care’s groups.”
– Becky, Foster Carer
– Young person in care.
How we listen, act, and respond
We Do Care provides a way for social workers, managers, and decision-makers to listen, to gather ideas, and to better understand the experiences of children and young people in care.
We Do Care and the Corporate Parenting Panel
The Corporate Parenting Panel (CPP) is a group of professionals from the Council and health organisations who oversee services and opportunities for care-experienced children and young people. The Corporate Parenting Panel meets regularly to discuss challenges and opportunities, and its members work together to ensure Buckinghamshire’s care-experienced children and young people receive the best support possible.
The Corporate Parenting Panel hear children and young people’s voices in different ways – through notes from We Do Care meetings, quotes from consultation exercises, case studies, and survey results. Corporate Parenting Panel members also speak directly with children and young people at Care Ambassadors meetings and events.
Speak Up
Poem by a young person
Don’t say something bad.
Don’t be sad.
Talk to your social worker
Or a youth worker.
Talk, Share your feelings.
Talk, about things that help your dealings.
Music, drawing, loads of things
Can help you.
Share this with people too.
Positive things go through your head.
Think of happy things instead.
Speak up.
Positiveness.
