From Care Leavers to Leadership: Barking and Dagenham Council

Nawaal’s journey through children’s services is defined by persistence, initiative, and a desire to make systems work better for those who rely on them most. As a care-experienced young person who built her path from volunteering to securing an official role, she has become a strong advocate for accessibility, inclusion, and meaningful engagement. Her work spans council-wide projects, national representation, and the creation of platforms designed to uplift other care leavers.

Nawaal’s progression has followed a clear and steady route of growth within local government:
Volunteering – Her journey began through volunteering opportunities where she contributed to engagement activities for children in care and care leavers.
Internship – Recognising her initiative and natural leadership, she was offered an internship to further support participation projects.
Apprenticeship – Building on that foundation, she progressed into an apprenticeship within the council, solidifying her skillset and gaining operational experience.
Official Role: Participation & Engagement Officer – Following her apprenticeship, she stepped into her current role, where she leads on participation work, engagement strategy, and ensures young people’s voices influence services across the council.

Case Study

Nawaal Said started as a volunteer in corporate parenting, making small changes in the service through engagement. She then progressed through an internship and an apprenticeship and now serves as a Participation and Engagement Officer at Barking and Dagenham Council, where she works to improve the outcomes and experiences of children in care and care leavers. As a care-experienced professional, she uses her personal story and passion to inspire and advocate for others who face similar challenges.

Nawaal has achieved remarkable accomplishments and milestones including:

Presenting to local authorities on LAC reviews
She presented to local authorities across London about the importance of Listening to and Acting on Children’s (LAC) Reviews—meetings where children in care express their views and wishes about their care plan. She shared her own experience and suggested best practices that led to Newham Council changing their approach to LAC reviews.

Apprenticeship Ambassador (Department for Education)
She was appointed as an Apprenticeship Ambassador by the Department for Education, where she represents care-experienced young people in national spaces and advises on accessibility and inclusion within apprenticeship policy and practice. She has attended and represented at high-profile events, including a parliamentary session discussing the gap in young people having their say in politics, and recently attended seminars focused on making apprenticeships more accessible for care leavers.

Innovative Digital Engagement: TheCareNet
She created and led various projects and initiatives that aim to increase participation and engagement of children in care and care leavers, such as TheCareNet, an Instagram page that provides information and advice on topics such as housing, education, employment, finances, mental health, and the local offer.
Nawaal authored the budget proposal, secured funding, and organised the launch event earlier this year. She manages ongoing content, engagement, and partnerships—ensuring the platform remains a trusted, youth-friendly space where essential information is easy to find.

Young People’s Panel
She helped establish and run the Young People’s Panel, a group of care leavers involved in the recruitment and selection of staff members who work with children in care and care leavers—embedding lived experience into staffing decisions.

The LAC Reviews Project
A collaboration between different departments in the borough to improve the quality and consistency of LAC reviews, as well as the communication and relationships between young people and professionals. The project involved working with parents, staff, foster carers, children and young adults to collaboratively produce solutions to make the transition into care easier on all parties.
An example of feedback from young people was that LAC review meetings felt like adult meetings—highlighting the need for more child-friendly meetings in the local authority.

Democratic Participation: Electoral Services Collaboration
Nawaal worked with Electoral Services to create an information pack for care leavers to improve understanding of voting at the general election. The pack included details on parties running in local constituencies and practical guidance on how to vote. She also supported at the election count, helping the council to achieve its target of 10% of count staff being care leavers.

Professional Development
Nawaal has engaged with various courses and qualifications, including Level 3 Business Administration and an Events Assistant qualification. In addition, she has taken part in several training sessions and workshops on safeguarding, GDPR, mental health, and trauma-informed practice.

Recognition
Her leadership and impact have been recognised nationally—Nawaal was a finalist for the Investors in People “Young Person of the Year 2024”, reflecting her innovation, commitment to inclusion, and dedication to improving outcomes for care-experienced young people.
Nawaal is a role model and a leader for other young people in care and care leavers. She has overcome many personal and professional challenges and has used her resilience and drive to achieve remarkable results. She has made a significant impact on the lives and experiences of young people in care and care leavers, as well as the culture and practice of the local authority. She is an asset to the organisation and a shining example of what young people can accomplish when they are given the support and opportunities they deserve.

The impact of Nawaal’s accomplishments can be seen at different levels: individual, organisational, and societal.

Individual

Nawaal has improved the confidence, wellbeing, and aspirations of many young people in care and care leavers. She has given them a voice and a platform to express their needs and opinions. She has also provided them with information and guidance on how to access the support and opportunities available to them. She has inspired them with her own story and achievements and encouraged them to pursue their goals and dreams.
She has helped young people cope with the challenges and transitions they face as they move through the care system and into adulthood. She has received numerous messages and testimonials from young people who have benefited from her work and who appreciate her efforts and dedication.

Organisational

Nawaal has influenced the culture and practice of the local authority and other agencies that work with children in care and care leavers. She has brought a fresh and innovative perspective that challenges the status quo and promotes positive change.

She has increased awareness and understanding of the issues and needs of young people in care and care leavers among staff members and managers, and improved communication and collaboration between different departments and teams.

Nawaal has contributed to the development and implementation of policies and procedures that reflect the best interests and views of young people in care and care leavers. She has had a pivotal role in increasing the number of care leavers who have been recruited by the council and has enhanced the quality and effectiveness of services and interventions offered to young people. She has received recognition and praise from senior leaders and colleagues who value her input and feedback.

Societal
By raising the profile and visibility of care-experienced young people and their achievements, Nawaal has challenged the stereotypes and stigma that often surround children in care and care leavers. Through national representation, digital engagement, and public speaking, she has amplified lived experience and contributed to a broader understanding of the potential and aspirations of care-experienced young people—demonstrating how systems can be reshaped to better serve them.

Nawaal’s plans for the future are ambitious and aligned with the strategic aims of the organisation. She intends to:
Work with additional local authorities across England to help them adapt services so they are truly suited to children in care and care leavers—supporting them to thrive through the system, not just survive it.

Continue advocating for accessibility in apprenticeships and education, ensuring care leavers have equal opportunities, drawing on insights from recent national seminars on apprenticeship accessibility.

Establish a charity or social enterprise focused on empowerment, guidance, and access to high-quality opportunities for care-experienced young people.
Develop children’s homes grounded in emotional safety, ambition, and genuine care—applying trauma-informed practice and a young person-centred approach

Provide training and consultancy to councils and organisations on participation, engagement, and care-leaver experience—using her expertise to challenge the status quo and promote positive change in the sector.

Nawaal is a remarkable young person with a clear vision and passion for making a difference in the lives of young people in care and care leavers. She has already achieved impressive accomplishments and milestones in her career and has made a significant impact on the organisation and society, with further ambitions to create lasting change.