Supporting adolescents in foster care: Laurelle Brown
Supporting adolescents in foster care: Laurelle Brown
Author
Introduction
The UK has a shortage of foster carers, especially those able to care for adolescents with ‘complex needs’. There are specific shortages of carers from minoritised ethnic groups, and challenges in ensuring the needs of children from minoritised ethnic backgrounds are met.
"My Fellowship proved invaluable in developing my awareness of alternative approaches to providing inclusive foster care." - Laurelle Brown, Fellow
Consultant Laurelle Brown’s (CF 2018) work includes developing strategies and resources to support foster carers and good practice in caring for adolescents, especially those from minoritised ethnic groups. Following her Fellowship, Laurelle has been sharing her findings with key influencers and policymakers. Her Fellow’s Report launch in October 2020 featured a panel discussion involving Baroness Lola Young (Co-Vice Chair of the APPG for Looked After Children), who invited Laurelle to present her report to the APPG. Laurelle also discussed her report with policymakers from the Department for Education, and an abridged version of it was published in Children and Young People Now magazine.
Additionally, Laurelle co-founded Kijiji, a not-for-profit membership organisation focussed on helping Black safeguarding professionals (BSPs) to thrive. She was awarded one of our Covid-19 Action Fund grants to support this work, in particular the delivery of training resources and a free leadership course for 50 BSPs.
Laurelle was inspired into action by her role volunteering as the Independent Visitor for a young woman in care, who regularly expressed to Laurelle that her ethnic and cultural needs were not being met. Her Fellowship to France, Germany, Portugal and Sweden explored foster care for adolescents with ‘complex needs’.
Laurelle says, “My Fellowship proved invaluable in developing my awareness of alternative approaches to providing inclusive foster care and support for children and young people, especially those from minoritised ethnic backgrounds. This has shaped the work of my organisation and our systemic approach”
"My Fellowship proved invaluable in developing my awareness of alternative approaches to providing inclusive foster care." - Laurelle Brown, Fellow
Consultant Laurelle Brown’s (CF 2018) work includes developing strategies and resources to support foster carers and good practice in caring for adolescents, especially those from minoritised ethnic groups. Following her Fellowship, Laurelle has been sharing her findings with key influencers and policymakers. Her Fellow’s Report launch in October 2020 featured a panel discussion involving Baroness Lola Young (Co-Vice Chair of the APPG for Looked After Children), who invited Laurelle to present her report to the APPG. Laurelle also discussed her report with policymakers from the Department for Education, and an abridged version of it was published in Children and Young People Now magazine.
Additionally, Laurelle co-founded Kijiji, a not-for-profit membership organisation focussed on helping Black safeguarding professionals (BSPs) to thrive. She was awarded one of our Covid-19 Action Fund grants to support this work, in particular the delivery of training resources and a free leadership course for 50 BSPs.
Laurelle was inspired into action by her role volunteering as the Independent Visitor for a young woman in care, who regularly expressed to Laurelle that her ethnic and cultural needs were not being met. Her Fellowship to France, Germany, Portugal and Sweden explored foster care for adolescents with ‘complex needs’.
Laurelle says, “My Fellowship proved invaluable in developing my awareness of alternative approaches to providing inclusive foster care and support for children and young people, especially those from minoritised ethnic backgrounds. This has shaped the work of my organisation and our systemic approach”