Derry’s Shea Taylor provides powerful testimony on need of reform of child social services
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00:00I had my speech written out by yesterday but last night I received an
00:04email from a young person who's given me permission to name him today. His name
00:08is Shay Taylor and he wanted his thoughts to be read out today. My name is Shay
00:14Taylor and I'm an expert by experience based in the Derry office. First of all
00:19I'd like to send my heartfelt thanks and appreciation for the work on the
00:22advocating on these important issues and challenges that young people face
00:26particularly within the social care system itself. Advocating for positive
00:31change for young people across Northern Ireland is something I'm extremely
00:34passionate about and I myself am a care experienced young person who has been in
00:39kinship care since 2021. Some issues that matter to me include the government's
00:44ignorance towards creating a suitable appropriate and sustainable care system
00:47in which young people in care can receive help support and gain skills
00:50confidence and grow as young people in a safe environment in which they can
00:55thrive. The lack of funding for youth organisations, a flawed care system for
00:59young people, particularly the number of different health and social care trusts
01:03areas which make it difficult to sustain a fair and effective care system. The
01:08lack of care and attention paid by the government to young people's voices and
01:11opinions and the lack of pathways for young people in care such as sustainable
01:16employment, career and personal opportunities. These are not my words
01:19Deputy Speaker, these are the words of our young people who are living it and
01:23those are the ones from those who are able to speak up for themselves. We all
01:27know that there are others at a much younger age who enter the care system
01:30due to the failure of government to protect them and their families for the
01:33hardships they face.