This list has been put together by young people who have attended participation groups for care-experienced children and young people facilitated by Surrey Youth Voice. The young people who created this list were aged between 13 and 25 years old and have care experience.
Whilst this list was created by care-experienced children and young people and those who have left care, it is important to note that these are only examples of alternative words and phrases that can be used. Young people feel that it is the decision of each individual child or young person to decide which words, phrases or terminology should be used.
We have listed these words alphabetically and have included a definition to help explain what the word means if you feel it will help the young person you are working with or helping. Some of these terms required additional notes and comments, in these sections are direct quotes from the young people who created this list.
The direct quotes from young people are based on their own individual thoughts, and are not reflective of all care-experienced children and young people.
A to Z
L
- LAC Review
- Looked After Child (LAC) vis
- Looked After Child (LAC) or Children Looked After (CLA) acronyms
- Leaving Care
LAC Review
Meaning: a meeting with all those that are concerned with the young person's care and care plan. At this meeting Children's Services will look at how things are going, whether the care plan meets the young person's needs and whether there need to be any changes for the future.
Preferred:
- [Young Person's Name] Plan
- [Young person's name] meeting
- [Young person's name] Plan for the Future
- [Child's name] Review
- Growth review or revision
- Improving your time in care
- My meeting or my review meeting
- Progression reviews
Notes and Comments
"It's our plan, so why don't you just change it to the young person's name?"
Looked After Child (LAC) visit
Meaning: when a social worker comes to meet their young person to check in
Preferred:
- [Child's name] visit
- Catch up or session
- Check up or in
- Come to visit [child's name]
- Home visit
- Reflection call
- Social visit
- Social worker visit
Looked After Child (LAC) or Children Looked After (CLA) acronyms
Meaning: children that are in public care, who are placed with foster carers, in residential homes or with parents or other relatives. Children become looked after when their parents are unable to provide ongoing care in either a temporary or permanent capacity.
Preferred:
- Cared for child
- Child taken by authority
- Children or young people in care
- Children and young people
- Looked after children (no acronym)
- Young person's name
Notes and Comments
"Do not use LAC or CLA acronyms"
"Don't use them [acronyms] to their face"
Leaving Care
Meaning: a young person aged 16 or over who has been looked after by the local authority for a relevant period of time since their 14th birthday and with a period of care taking place on or after their 16th birthday that is leaving a care placement.
Preferred:
- Becoming independent
- Moving into independence
- Moving on or up
- Moving out
- New life