@CareExpConf's Ian Dickson shares his remarkable life story with Five Rivers #CareToListen podcasters and offers some great advice for #CareExperienced listeners to help deal with feelings of stigma.
"Young people are not nearly as involved in decision making as they should be."
Ian Dickson leads a visionary force behind the first ever Care Experienced Conference. The one day event kickstarts a massive culture change by uniting care experienced people of all ages.
"Where the system has not changed is you still go through the system then at 18 potentially, you might have to face the world alone without adequate support. That was the same in my day. There are kids still homeless at 18, that was the same in my day."
The aim is a community that can influence decision making at the highest levels and drive improvements to the system: he’s frustrated that we live in a world where homelessness is still a reality for some care leavers.
"There is no such thing as a #CareLeaver. The term I use is #CareExperienced. The care system needs to modify to recognise #CareExperience rather than Care Leaver. We need to change the whole culture of care to do that."
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