The First Ever Care Leaders Meeting in Africa would be held in Nairobi this week. The Care Leaders Council, which includes 16 members representing a diverse range of lived and professional experiences with family separation and alternative care, would have its first-ever meeting in Nairobi from the 22nd of May to the 25th of May, 2023.  Care Leaders are lived experience leaders who inspire and facilitate the transformation of children’s services through consultancy, training & keynotes as well as advocacy.

The Council Members collaborate with Better Care Network and USAID to identify ways to inform and increase the effectiveness of programming for care reform while further developing their professional capabilities and network.

The Council, which is transitioning from the administration of YouthLead to Better Care Network, provides advisory services to positively influence policy affecting young people in and out of care. The Council is called “Care Leaders Global Collaborative Council” in its new transition phase. 

Better Care Network is playing a supporting role and not a donor role. Better Care Network (BCN) seeks to support activities of the Council and channel other opportunities to the Council by helping them fundraise. Thus both USAID and BCN have different roles to play.

The importance of the transition is to help the Council become a part of a larger community of actors working on children’s Care collaborative platform

Through the Care Leaders Council, young changemakers:

    1. Provide valuable insights for stakeholders on developing and strengthening the effective implementation of national child protection systems and alternative care, transitioning from care settings to independent living, supporting family care for children, and strengthening families to prevent unnecessary family separation;

    1. Engage in relevant advocacy; and

    1. Support each other through exchange facilitated within the Council. 

The agenda for the meeting include Council composition and membership, Moving towards a more representative Council that can act as a bridge globally for care experienced children, young people, and adults, and a transition plan to new leadership – New members recruitment and admission, among others.

The Council is in its third year and fully supported by the Better Care Network and USAID.

Meet the Council members.

The Genesis of how the Council came into existence can be found here.