Agenda item

This is an opportunity for members of BCJ 2.0 to feed back on activities over the last quarter and facilitate discussion on issues pertinent to Brent children and young people with members. This will include a progress update on co-produced work relating to the Bright Spots Action Plan.

The Chair welcomed representatives from Brent Care Journeys 2.0 (BCJ 2.0) to the meeting and invited them to provide updates from the group.

SA outlined the budget and merchandise proposals the rebranded Care Leavers Group – Empire Care Leavers – were requesting from the Council. She reminded members of the budget request, and provided several options for merchandise dependent on the budget the Council could allocate to this branding project. She explained that the branding project would help young people feel a sense of belonging and part of a group, and she presented the recreated logo which would be printed on the merchandise. The group had agreed that they would visit semi-independent providers to spread the word about Empire Care Leavers and offer them a package that included the branded merchandise to make them feel a part of the group. She hoped to have ordered the merchandise for the packages by February 2026.

N updated the Committee on the meeting Empire Care Leavers had with Nigel Chapman (Corporate Director Children, Young People and Community Development, Brent Council) the previous month, where they had discussed opportunities for a dedicated care leavers space. Three options had been proposed and the group were waiting to get keys for a viewing for two of them. She noted that the Curve, which was currently available as a space for young people, was felt not to be appropriate as it was unwelcoming and not private, with staff members moving young people along from there as they did not know the space was for them. The main ask was for the space to be somewhere care leavers could have some form of permanency, and one of the spaces had outside space and a kitchen which had been positive.

K informed the Committee of the recruitment drive Empire were planning, with a target to visit 5 residentials and 5 semi-independent homes to do fun activities, such as cooking sessions, to build rapport with care leavers and encourage them to join the Empire. She had also delivered a presentation with other care leavers at the Children and Young People and Community Development All Staff Conference, speaking about the launch of their business and the importance of leadership in front of over 200 people. Staff present had praised their presentation. She also informed members of the leadership programme that was being developed, where care leavers would train young people to become leaders, which would help to upskills both care leavers through delivering training and those joining Empire.

S informed the Committee of her upcoming Trusted Buddies project, which aimed to provide a mentoring-style programme where 18-25 year olds buddied with a care experienced young person aged 11-18 years old and did activities together so that they developed a trusted relationship with each other. Surveys had gone out to garner interest amongst 18-25 year olds and they would then move on to the pitching stage. N added that having a dedicated space would be useful for the Trusted Buddies project because it was a space where multiple care leavers and looked after children could come together to do activities, such as cooking, working together to support looked after children.

The Chair congratulated Brent Care Journeys on the productive term, and was pleased to hear they were undertaking active recruitment to get people involved, which they hoped would make a difference. She added that the recent Ofsted focused visit had commented that Looked After Children felt they had participation in what the Council delivered, which she attributed to the work of Brent Care Journeys.

The Committee endorsed the asks in terms of merchandise and branding, emphasising this would encourage a feeling of pride in a community of future leaders. They were also pleased that the group was thinking about succession planning and progression for young people.

Kelli Eboji (Head of LAC and Permanency, Brent Council) added that young people had also contributed to the Looked After Children and Care Leaver Strategy, developing a foreword for that document.

Noting that the next local borough elections would be taking place in May 2026, it was suggested that children and young people presented these asks at a member induction session post-election.

As no further issues were raised, the Chair thanked BCJ 2.0 for their updates and closed the item.