Fostering for the Future, Sajida Champions Unaccompanied Minors

9th January, 2023

Recently we caught up with Children’s Champion in the South East, Sajida and what a ray of sunshine she is. In her words as Children’s Champion her role is to be an advocate for looked after children here at Capstone Foster Care.

“I give them a voice when they cannot speak. It is my dream job.”

Sajida goes on to explain that she makes it clear to the children and young people that she is not a social worker, she is on their level and there for them first and foremost. Children in care can find it difficult to talk and Sajida takes great pride in helping them to express their thoughts and emotions, if not through speech she encourages them to write it down.

What is important is that the children’s voices are heard.

And while her role encompasses all of the looked after children in her area it didn’t take long for Sajida to identify a group who were not able to access the services that she provided. That of unaccompanied minors.

Sajida commented, “some of the stories of entering the country these kids have are heart breaking. They have been through so much. I knew I had to do something to bridge the gap.”

Supporting Unaccompanied Minors

As a first port of call Sajida went about setting up a drop-in session. The sessions started small, but still important as it enabled the young people to meet others with shared experiences. Sajida noticed that these children were hesitant to attend other events as they felt like they would be unable to converse. But her ability to speak Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu as well as English went a long way in breaking down barriers.

Sajida enlisted the help of older children who could speak in their languages to further break down barriers. She went on, “a lot of these young people can come across as frustrated, and the language barrier is a problem as they do not feel like they are being heard. Having the older kids as mentors has made all of the difference.”

Sajida’s efforts did not stop there. Some of the children had entered the UK in adverse circumstances, which had resulted mistrust in the authorities, so she arranged a talk with the police in order to start rebuilding trust.

“The support group grew in size, and we did a trip to the London Eye. It was brilliant and I loved being able to give them an experience they wouldn’t have had otherwise.”

Sajida continues to champion children of all races and backgrounds, determined to do everything that she can do to make a difference and build a better future for looked after children.

“Seeing a smile back on a child’s face makes it all worthwhile. Working at Capstone has given me a sense of purpose and I would encourage anyone who is able to consider fostering.”

 

If you would like to know more about how you can make a difference by fostering, please do call one of our friendly advisors for a chat on 0800 012 4004.

Thinking of fostering?

If you’ve got any questions or would like to find out more about fostering with Capstone, fill out the form below.
An experienced fostering advisor from your local area will then be in touch.

We need this to put you in touch with your local fostering advisor.

The information you provide will be used to respond to the enquiry you have submitted, for further information please refer to our privacy policy.

you may be also interested in

Blogs

29th October, 2024

Trick or Treat Safely this Halloween

Blogs

15th October, 2024

The First Night in the Fostering Home

Blogs

24th September, 2024

Capstone’s Top 8 Tips for Teaching Children How to Cook

Sign-up for our Newsletter

By signing up, you will receive our latest fostering stories every two months.

SIGN-UP NOW

Find out more about fostering with Capstone.

Download our helpful guide to becoming a foster carer

Download Now

Ways to
GET IN TOUCH

Start the conversation today. Our team of friendly advisors are on hand to answer any foster care questions you may have. We can offer you honest and practical advice that can help you decide if becoming a foster carer is the right path for you. 


Request a
call back

Contact us by completing our online form and one of our fostering advisors will respond to your enquiry within 24 hours.



Call us

Contact us by phone and one of our friendly fostering experts will be on hand for any foster care advice and support you require.



Download a Brochure

Download our helpful guide to becoming a foster carer with Capstone Foster Care.