When the Care Review was announced in January 2021, it was described as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reset the way that children were cared for in England. Care experienced people, campaigners, and charities rang the alarm on the children’s social care system years ago. The review comes to us with an early acknowledgement that the present system is not working. For staff in our residential care homes, social workers, advocates and more importantly, care experienced people themselves, this is a truism.

Students from Inscape House School got to lead their own fun activities on Empathy Day 2022. We spoke to Talia, Alice and Amy to find out how decorating gingerbread people, making empathy dolls and reading can help improve our relationship with emotions.

Earlier this week, the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care was published. Since the Review commenced in March 2021, we have campaigned to ensure that the views of the people we support are represented in roundtable discussions and meetings with the review team, amplified through our involvement with the Alliance for Children in Care and Care Leavers, and heard within our response to the Case for Change.

As Volunteers’ Week (1-7 June) gets underway, we are releasing our new annual volunteering report which celebrates our helpers and the value they generate for the people we support. 

Overall, the Together Trust has approximately 60 volunteers in a variety of roles from trustees and governors to reading supporters and musicians.     

On 17 May 2022 our Campaigns and Advocacy Officer, Styliana, attended an event hosted by the Council for Disabled Children. The event was about the SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Green Paper and was facilitated by officials from the Department for Education (DfE).

Attendees consisted of professionals working with children and young people with SEND and parents/carers. Here, Styliana shares what was discussed and reflections on SEND provision.

A one-day event celebrating the joys of innovation and hands-on learning was delivered at Inscape House School. The day helped our students explore a wide range of fun, interactive, and educational activities and games in the fields of science, technology, engineering, art, and maths (STEAM).

We were delighted to receive a visit from award-winning vlogger and disability advocate, Isaac Harvey,  this week.

The influencer, who was born with a form of limb hypoplasia, is a powerful advocate of what disabled people can achieve and uses his videos to inspire millions of followers. 

Isaac visited Bridge College, where he was given a tour by students Natasha, 23 and Jamal, 17. He met learners from across the college and heard about their favourite classes, work experience, and what they love about Bridge college. 

At Bridge College, we prepare our students for all aspects of adulthood, from community life to independent, healthy living and the world of work. We want everyone to leave feeling confident for their future. Every day, our students develop their work skills and self-confidence. We do this by supporting students to develop on-the-job training through work placements with community-based partners.

We're delighted to announce that the Together Trust has retained the prestigious gold award by Investor in Customers (IIC) for our exceptional support of children, individuals and families.    

It is the third time we have received the gold standard accreditation, which recognises outstanding service for the people we support and the agencies we work with.