The Associate Parliamentary Group for Looked After Children and Care Leavers

The Who Cares? Trust helped set up the Associate Parliamentary Group for Looked After Children and Care Leavers (APG) in 1998 and has acted as Secretariat for the group since then.

The meetings are attended by members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, representatives of voluntary organisations, childcare professionals and people who are currently in care or have past personal experience of the care system.

Fomer MP Hilton Dawson was the founder and first chair of the group, followed by David Kidney MP who chaired the group for four years, with Helen Southworth MP taking over in June 2009 when David Kidney became a government minister. 

Lord Listowel has been Vice Chair of the group since 2006, prior to which he was Treasurer.   

What's the Group's purpose?

The group exists to: 

• Ensure that the voices of young people with experience of public care are heard by Government.
• Ensure that legislation addresses the particular needs of children and young people in and leaving care and to debate key policy and practice issues.
• Ensure liaison at parliamentary level with organisations working with children and young people in and leaving care.
• Highlight good practice in working with children and young people in and leaving care.
• Discuss and, where appropriate, pursue topical issues which arise in relation to children and young people in and leaving care.
• Be a powerful voice on behalf of children and young people in and leaving care.

The meetings usually involve one or two presentations on a topic followed by open debate. 

Past speakers have included:

• John Hutton MP, when Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health;
• Jacqui Smith MP, when Minister of State for Health;
• Charles Clarke MP, when Minister for School Standards;
• Margaret Hodge MP, when Minister for Children and Families;
• Beverley Hughes MP, when Minister for Children, Young People and Families;
• Roger Morgan, Children's Rights Director;
• Barry Sheerman MP, Chair of the DCSF select committee;
• Speakers from Voice, The Children's Legal Centre and A National Voice. 

When does the Group meet?

The Group usually meets on the second Wednesday of key months in the parliamentary calendar at the House of Commons, except when Parliament is in recess.  Sometimes extra meetings are added if a particular speaker's diary necessitates it.  

If you are interested in attending a meeting, please contact Tina Solliss at The Who Cares? Trust.