Listening to the voices of care experienced individuals and communities – the disconcerting values of the Government Children’s Social Care Review

The Department for Education and the appointed chair of the Government Children’s Social Care Review have come under sustained criticism for their approach to this longed for review. Both the tone and approach have been criticised for their clumsy disregard for the esteem and wellbeing of our care experienced individuals and communities. One-sided power dynamics have also been inherent in the review thus far and these are always difficult to spot and elusive to challenge. However, the risk of damaging consequences is tangible and must be confronted and reframed even though finding a way to do that with meaningful positive impact is challenging. This article offers some principles to underpin such reframing particularly in relation to the attempt to capture the voices of care experienced individuals.