The Independent Care Review was “an independent, root and branch review of the care system” announced in the Scottish Parliament by Nicola Sturgeon in 2016.
The Care Review heard from more than 5,500 people. These were children, adults, and families who have personal experience of care, as well as the unpaid and paid workforce.
On 5 February 2020, the Care Review published The Promise. This document sets out the changes needed to make sure all children grow up feeling safe, loved, and heard. On Care Day 2020 we welcomed our partners and care-experienced learners to a celebratory event where we affirmed our intention to #KeepThePromise.
Our training and learning focus
We are currently developing our training and learning events through the lens of the following recommendations:
Universal services (such as schools and mental health services) must recognise the role they play as adjacent parts of the wider scaffolding of care so they can support and nurture those with care experience. (The Promise, p.46)
Universities and colleges in Scotland must also act on their responsibilities towards care experienced students, ensuring they are provided with access to mentoring and support throughout their studies. (p.93)
Please get in touch if you want to discuss any ways in which we could work with your organisation to help.
Recent work
Some examples of our recent work includes:
- Presentations on education and The Promise to social work teams and third sector organisations.
- Training on support for care experienced students at university/college – delivered to finance, wellbeing and student support teams.
- Consultation with Widening Participation teams about how to ensure care experienced pupils are included in targeting and messaging of outreach activities.
- Fostering collaboration among local third sector organisations through regular meetings which we’ve named ‘the Gathering.’ If you work with care experienced people in the East of Scotland, you are warmly invited to attend – email Jessie to be included in the next meeting.