BINBAGGING

Binbagging - the value of children in care

What is it?

When children who are in care move from one placement to another, more often than not they don’t get anything as dignified as a suitcase to carry their belongings. Instead, their possessions are bundled into black bin liners. This is known as ‘bin-bagging’. Can you imagine the message that conveys to a child?

The Campaign

The charity ‘A National Voice’ has launched a campaign called ‘This is not a suitcase’ to try to stamp out the practice of ‘bin-bagging’. So far, 50 local authorities have signed up to a pledge to give looked-after children proper luggage. If you go to http://www.thisisnotasuitcase.org.uk  you can see if your local authority is on the list.

What you can do

If it isn’t on the list, please write to the director of children’s services at your local authority, and to your local councillors, and ask them to make sure that the authority signs up to the pledge, and stops treating looked-after children’s possessions like rubbish.