THE Western Trust, in partnership with Ulster University, have launched a new mentoring project for looked after children to coincide with Care Day NI.
MY LACES (Mentoring Young Looked after Children with Educational Support) offers 10 looked after children from the Western Trust area the opportunity to receive mentorship from seven social work students from Ulster University on the Magee Campus, every Wednesday after school.
The programme aims to provide consistent educational support through early intervention to those deemed most vulnerable, and to those who may not be able to avail of this in a normal home environment.
It also provides an excellent enhanced employability resource to our students and establishes links/networks in which training programmes could be developed and delivered.
The programme was officially launched to coincide with Care Day NI. Care Day NI showcased the positives about children in care and care leavers, bringing the focus on their contributions to society.
Care Day aimed to challenge negative attitudes towards children in care and dispel them with accurate images and positive stories.
Service Manager for Looked after Children Western Trust, Rosemary Barr said: “The programme aims to support young Looked after Children over the course of three years, from Primary 5 to Primary 7, to assist them with the transition to post primary school.
“They attend My Laces at the Ulster University each Wednesday after school and receive additional educational support from their mentors who are students at the Magee campus.
“The programme began in October 2015 and the children say that they love to go to the University and they are helped to do their homework and have fun.
“The carers also report that the children enjoy attending. In the long term it is anticipated the children will consolidate their learning, develop positive relationships with their peers and mentors and simply enjoy learning.”
Mr Kieran Downey, Western Trust Director of Women and Children’s Services, stated: “I think it’s important that these children get the recognition that they deserve.
“Care Day NI is highlighting just some of the great stories about looked after children and it’s important that we remove some of the stigmas people have.
“Research has consistently shown that looked after children don’t perform as positively as their peers, which is often due to their pre-care experiences.
“The MY LACES project is an exciting and unique project to promote the educational outcomes for looked after children, and will no doubt assist them with other important aspects of their development including self-esteem and identity.
“The Western Trust is grateful to the Ulster University and the social work students for their commitment to this great programme.”
Paul Cassidy, Ulster University Student Support Outreach Advisor said: “This is an exciting pilot project which celebrates a successful and welcomed partnership between Ulster University and the Western Health and Social Services Trust.
“It provides a professional platform for Ulster University Social Work students to mentor looked after and care experienced children.
“In this context, the mentoring role has become embedded in the student’s first learning opportunity enabling the development of high level professional skills and competences.
“The MY LACES programme directly contributes to the high quality learning experience within Social Work at Ulster University, through the successful partnerships with service users.
“University students are actively and successfully engaging with wider society and transferring their academic knowledge into real world practice.”
The programme aims to enable the children to approach their transition to post primary education with confidence and help increase the employability of our student mentors.
The Ulster University hopes to align the programme regionally with support from the other Health and Social Care Trusts.