In May, CASCADE visited Italy for a Knowledge ExChange, hosted by colleagues from SOS Children’s Villages Italy, with key aims to share approaches to care-experienced young people’s participation in policy, practice and service development.

In May, CASCADE staff Louise Roberts and Rachael Vaughan visited Italy for a knowledge exchange visit hosted by SOS Children’s Villages Italy, our team had the opportunity to share approaches to care-experienced young people’s participation in policy, practice and service development.

The visit involved a series of meetings across Bologna, Florence and Rome with key stakeholders including policy makers, third sector organisations, practitioners and, most importantly, young people with care experience.

We were fortunate to be accompanied by two care-experienced young people from Voices from Care Cymru, alongside the organisation’s CEO Deborah Jones. Across the visit, we shared information about the Welsh and Italian child welfare systems, with a particular focus on leaving care. We shared details of pilot schemes in the different contexts, designed to improve young people’s transitions to adulthood and reduce disadvantage. We explored approaches to participation and co-production, including how care-experienced young people are involved in shaping services, informing policy and contributing to research.

The exchange created a valuable space for mutual learning, reflection and relationship-building across international contexts. The experience generated significant “food for thought” for everyone involved and highlighted examples of good practice that can help inform future policy, practice and research in both Wales and Italy. It also strengthened international partnerships and reinforced the importance of ensuring that care-experienced young people are meaningfully involved in decisions that affect their lives.

Reflections from the two care experienced young people who travelled with us: 

“My experience of the whole trip is that it was an amazing opportunity to meet young people and professionals from different walks of life, but also learn about a beautiful country at the same time.” – Mel

“From this trip I’ve gained really great friends, I have so much more understanding of not just the care system in Italia but also my own country, and have an even bigger drive to fight for change to address the failings of the care system, for not just those in it or leaving it, but for those like me who are adopted that are abandoned by local authority when the order is granted.” – James

– Rachael Vaughan