Youngsters with troubled backgrounds could be given £1,500 to showcase their talents - despite resistance from social workers and foster parents.

Initial proposals for a fun day to celebrate the achievements of the children in Torbay Council's care were greeted with anger by some foster carers.

Many social workers were equally sceptical claiming a formal awards ceremony would patronise and stigmatise vulnerable young people.

But a survey of 20 of the area's 220 children in care met with an enthusiastic response. And now they are to be given a chance to organise a variety show that may include song, drama and dance and exhibitions of art and academic work.

Two years ago the Government called on local authorities as 'corporate parents' to celebrate and share their children's successes in a way that academic results alone could not.

A few councils elsewhere in the country already stage events ranging from small-scale private presentations to large commercially-sponsored fun days.

Charlie West, a social worker based in Torquay, persuaded the children's services committee to back the idea.

He said: "Hidden behind the tables of academic tests and GCSE results may be a potential Olympic gold medallist or pop star.

"It could be a little girl who gets a Brownie badge or someone who gets a postgraduate degree.

"It's absolutely essential that we provide what the young people want and not what we think they want. They don't want an awards ceremony where the head of social services, who they've never met, presents them with a medal.

"They don't want to get up on stage and receive a certificate. They want something they can participate in, where they can show off their talents to social workers, parents, people who have been with them all along."

Jean Turnbull, who chairs the children's services committee, was worried that the youngsters might be stigmatised.

"They shouldn't be set apart from other children, made to feel different from our own children," she said.

But Mr West assured the doubters: "We wouldn't want the children to be identified so they would regret taking part.

"They would control the invitation list."

And he was not deterred by the extremely low response to an earlier survey.

"Most children have got other things to worry about than filling in a form - broken placements, clashes with parents and the courts," he said.

"They probably didn't believe the council was prepared to give them power to organise an event themselves."

Used courtesy of the Torquay Herald Express