John Vincent

John Vincent has worked in the public sector since the 1960s, primarily for Hertfordshire, Lambeth and Enfield library services. In 1997, he was invited to become part of the team that produced the UK's first review of public libraries and social exclusion (from which The Network originated). John now runs courses and lectures, writes, produces regular newsletters and ebulletins, and lobbies for greater awareness of the role that libraries, archives and museums play in contributing to social justice. He is particularly interested in supporting the work that libraries do with young people in care, and has been working with the Paul Hamlyn Foundation for the last seven years to develop this through training and advocacy.

Detail session 7

Broken windows, broken lives – services to Looked After Children

Over the course of a year, around 90,000 children will spend some time in care (Every Child Matters website, 2008). Most Looked After Children (LAC) achieve well below their potential in education. Many Looked After Children have few, if any, books of their own, or opportunities to share books with the adults who care for them. Libraries, where books, resources and a wide range of informal learning opportunities can be had for free, can offer enormous benefits for LAC of all ages and for their carers. This session will highlight the important role libraries can play in the lives of the young people, in influencing other departments and what has been learned from projects such as Right to Read. It will explore how services to Looked After Children could be mainstreamed into library services.