Gloucestershire County Council has made a pledge to children in its care.

The new pledge sets out the promises the county council is making to children who are fostered in the county.

These young people helped design, take photographs and draw cartoons for the two booklets that illustrate the pledge – one for children aged 8-11 and one for young people aged 12 to 16. The booklets have been posted to every child in the county council’s care.

The promises are all about helping children in care to reach their potential. They include finding the best available home where the young person feels safe and cared about, helping them to stay in touch with their family and friends and helping them to stay fit, healthy and do things they enjoy in their communities.

The council has also pledged to support children and young people in care to do the best they can in school, college and at work, provide a social worker who they will get to know well and listen to them, and to give them all the support they need to make a success of their adult life.

Cllr Paul McLain, Gloucestershire County Council Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: "This pledge is our way of showing children in care that we are committed to improving their lives and giving them the same opportunities in life that other young people have.

"It is difficult to imagine what some of these young people have been through and us keeping these simple promises to them is the very least they deserve. It’s our responsibility to ensure they get off to the best possible start and our well prepared for adult life.

"This pledge is about letting these young people know what they can expect from us and reassuring them that we will listen to them when we are planning their support and services."