News
Digital connection and inclusion should be a basic right for care leavers
28 January 2021
New research published by CELCIS at the University of Strathclyde shows the impact of digital inclusion and exclusion on care leavers in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Young people with experience of care have told researchers how not having reliable access to digital technology has affected their lives over the course of the pandemic and the value of staying connected.
The digital divide: The impact on the rights of care leavers in Scotland, explains how the experiences of care experienced people during this time have exposed and exacerbated how vital digital access is in everyday lives. The report highlights that for young people to fully participate in the life of the nation and in their communities through active citizenship, such barriers must be addressed. The research further supports calls to see access to digital technology and safe online spaces as a basic human right.
The findings of the research, carried out in Scotland by CELCIS and the University of Edinburgh, builds on a study undertaken earlier in the pandemic of the experiences of people working to provide digital devices and support from 17 local authority areas across Scotland.
The recommendations from the research briefing reiterate and build on those resulting from the earlier study and include:
Rolling out digital access for all care leavers by integrating this into the pathway planning and support processes in all local authorities
Upskilling workers to ensure they can better support young people to develop their digital skills
New Continuing Care and the Welfare Assessment: Practice Note
18 November 2020
Published by CELCIS, the Care Inspectorate and Clan Childlaw, this Practice Note clarifies the legislative requirements when undertaking a Welfare Assessment in Scotland to support planning for a looked after young person to ‘stay put’ in a care placement under Continuing Care arrangements. It offers clear guidance on what needs to be considered, by whom and when, and supports the principle that Continuing Care should be considered the default option for young people who are looked after away from home on, or after, their 16th birthday.
The Practice Note is intended to inform and support carers, practitioners, managers, and decision-makers in consistently implementing the Staying Put policy and Continuing Care legislation.
Read a blog post on the Clan Childlaw website
SCLC publishes new briefing on the effects of COVID-19 on support for care leavers in Scotland
27 October 2020
As part of Care Experienced Week, the SCLC has published a briefing paper ‘Scottish Care Leavers Covenant Alliance ‘Collaborative Voice’ Briefing - The challenge of 2020: Supporting care leavers in Scotland during the pandemic and beyond’.
The briefing highlights the how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated and amplified the precariousness of many care leavers' situations, and the inconsistencies and variations that exist in relation to support and services.
During the global public health emergency, the SCLC Alliance partners continue to meet regularly, strengthening their collective resolve to: collate and share information; to identify and share interesting and effective practice; to offer support directly to care leavers and care experienced young people in Scotland; and to offer support to those agencies and organisations who provide services and care for them.
Despite the varied range of positive localised responses, the health pandemic has exposed the structural disadvantage and discrimination that many carer leavers face, impacting on their rights to services, supports and provisions required to meet their developmental needs into adulthood. This is in relation to both individual circumstances as well as recognising care leavers' needs as a broader population to whom the State, as corporate parent, at local and national level, has specific duties and responsibilities.
The briefing highlights some of the key issues and some of the solutions that have been identified. Drawing together learning from their own work and from our extensive networks and relationships with partner, it offers a number of recommendations, and prioritises steps to improve the lives of care leavers.
New research published on bridging the digital divide for care experienced young people in Scotland
27 July 2020
A new report, Bridging the digital divide for care experienced young people in Scotland: If not now, when?, has been published by the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant and CELCIS, and authored by Kenny McGhee and Dr Autumn Roesch-Marsh. The research revealed the impact that the COVID-19 public health emergency has had on the digital divide for young people in, or leaving, care, in Scotland.
Over half of Scotland’s local authority areas were able to contribute information for us to build this picture and provide an understanding of the themes and issues involved. The information confirmed that issues of digital exclusion and disadvantage, which were present for many before lockdown, have only intensified during the COVID-19 crisis. There were three challenges raised by all local authorities:
Lack of access to hardware including: laptops, tablets and smartphones
Lack of consistent reliable access to broadband and WiFi
For some young people, gaps in digital literacy or confidence
Improving the housing journey for care leavers
12 November 2019
New guidance provides recommendations to improve support for care leavers at risk of becoming homeless.
The guidance aims to fully support existing legislation, ensure that care leavers who do experience homelessness can rapidly access tailored support, and changing the policy and culture, including shared responsibility between corporate parents to make sure young people leaving care are prepared and supported through their transition into adulthood and beyond.
Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said:
"This report provides an excellent set of recommendations that provides tangible guidance and solutions to the problems care leavers face finding and keeping a home.
"Young people leaving care are some of the most vulnerable people in our society and we should take all actions possible to prevent them from ever becoming homeless.
"It's vital housing and children's services work seamlessly with wider support services to ensure young people's needs are met.
"We will ensure that we meet the ambitions set out in this report to improve young people's housing outcomes."
A multi-agency working group, which includes local authorities, health and social care partnerships, the DWP, homeless organisations and children's charities, was chaired by CELCIS and co-ordinated by the A Way Home Scotland coalition produced the report, which contains key recommendations to make support for care leavers more consistent across Scotland.
Tam Baillie, former Children and Young People Commissioner for Scotland, chair of the 'A Way Home Scotland Coalition' said:
"No young person should be homeless and that particularly applies to care experienced young people for whom we have additional responsibilities with legal requirements.
"No parent wants their child to experience homelessness and so it should be for our children in care. We can and should deliver the very best start to their adult life and they have a right to expect we live up to our obligations. Time to make the step-change, here and now."
Kate Polson from Rock Trust added:
"Scotland has a history of progressive policy and legislation in relation to housing, homelessness and our care system. The recommendations in this report highlight how we implement all of this guidance to prevent young people from entering homelessness."
Kenny McGhee, Throughcare and Aftercare Lead at CELCIS said:
"This report explicitly recognises the link between leaving care at too young an age without the appropriate ongoing support and an increased risk of homelessness. Fully implementing the actions and recommendations from the report will help Scotland's corporate parents close the gap between positive policy intentions and everyday practice, and ensure that no young person moving on from care risks homelessness."
Research consistently highlights that care leavers are more likely than other young people to become homeless or experience housing instability. These young people continue to leave care at an earlier age, with less preparation, and less support than young people leaving home without care experience, and often before they are ready. These factors combine disproportionally to increase the risk and occurrence of homelessness for care leavers.
The guidance sets out specific actions, such as better implementation of existing legislation, which if carried out will support the full implementation and consistent delivery of relevant parts of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 LINK, in particular Part 9: Corporate Parenting, Part 10: Aftercare, and Part 11: Continuing Care.
The Right to Relationships for all care experienced young people
22 October 2019
The Why Not? Trust is campaigning for the Right to Relationships for all care experienced young people. As part of National Care Leavers Week and Care Experienced Week, the Trust is urging individuals and organisations to review, sign and support their 'Right to Relationships' Charter.
This Charter was developed by a group of seven care experienced members of the Why Not? community. They spent time sharing stories of the different relationships they had while being in care, and after moving on. The group believes that all young people in care should benefit from compassionate relationships, and want to make sure this happens. They were determined to do something to help those that don't have this opportunity, and this led to the Charter, the Right to Relationships.
The Why Not? Trust for Care Experienced Young People grew out of a successful initiative started by Care Visions Children's Services in 2014 to support long term connections and relationships between young people with care experience and the people who matter to them. As well as individual connections, the Why Not? Trust supports young people, including young parents, with care experience to develop their own community networks. These networks allow young people to access experiences and events that provide opportunities they might not have been able to access on their own.
All of the Rights are uniquely important to us based on the group's experiences and they hope that those who sign the Charter embed each Right in their daily interactions with children and young people.
How ‘grandmentors’ are helping young care leavers find their feet
6 August 2019
Article in the Guardian regarding a project that pairs up volunteers aged 50 and over with young care leavers in England to support them on their route to independence.
Be the change
26 June 2019
The SOS Villages International ‘Be The Change’ Conference in Bucharest in June saw a coalition of care leavers from across ten EU countries involved in the SOS Villages International ‘Prepare for Leaving Care’ programme. The conference heard a unified ‘Call to Action’ to be the change and leave no care leaver behind. The Call to Action, released in Bucharest on 13th June 2019 by care leavers across Europe and the professionals at their side’ comprises three main actions with associated tasks.
Action 1: Realise care leavers rights in the law at EU, national, regional and local levels
Action 2: Realise care leavers rights in practice
Action 3: Allocate adequate funds for realising care leavers rights (in legislation and in practice – at EU, national regional and local levels)
This follows the recent Berlin Declaration, released in March 2019 by care leavers organisations in Germany. It states that: In Germany, as in other countries, care leaves need a ‘leaving care’ entitlement in order to strengthen their legal position in youth welfare services for the transition to adult life and to further develop transitional support on a broad basis
This calls for a much stronger ‘leaving care’ entitlement including:
Assistance after 18 - from ‘should’ to ‘must’
Retaining responsibility
Improving participation and self-organisation
Establishing transition concepts and ‘coming back’
Abolishing care leavers contribution to costs
Falkirk Council signs the Covenant
10 June 2019
Falkirk Council came together with the Champions Board in Falkirk recently to publicly declare their endorsement of the Scottish Care leavers Covenant. Councillor Cecil Meiklejohn and Children's Services Director Robert Naylor from Falkirk Council joined young people from the Champions Board, a group of care experienced young people who are supported to come together to engage directly with those who make key decisions about the care system, and Lizzie Morton of CELCIS, the Centre for Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection to record the event.
New briefing on the challenge of homelessness faced by Scotland's care experienced young people published
1 June 2019
A new briefing published by CELCIS, the Centre for Excellence for Children's Care and Protection, outlines how young people who have been in care can experience difficulties in securing housing, and explores the official statistical information that is available.
While research consistently highlights that care leavers are more likely than other young people to become homeless or experience housing instability, a lack of reliable data means that the full picture is actually unknown.
A number of factors can combine to make care experienced young people more vulnerable to homelessness including the lack of practical, financial and emotional support and experience to run their own home at a very early stage of adulthood, as well as the challenge of affording rent and managing change.
Japanese colleagues find out more about the Covenant
17 May 2019
Representatives from Japan recently met with Kenny McGhee from CELCIS and were extremely interested in the Covenant and what Scotland does to support young people transitioning from care. Professor Kayoko Ito from Osaka Prefecture University, who sepcialises in foster care and residential care; Associate Professor Norifumi Senga from Nagoya University who specialises in psychology; and Shoko Tokunaga, a Research Fellow at the Nippon Foundation, specialising in children’s social work, also attended the CELCIS Education Conference.
Highlights from the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant Conference 2019
Our Spring conference, held in March 2019 focused on home, connection and felt security. Addressing these key concepts within the context of rights and wellbeing, we explored what this means for care experienced young people and for Scotland's corporate parents as they support their care experienced young people in their journey to adulthood and interdependence. You can view the keynote presentations on the Conference page.
Continuing Care (Scotland) Amendment Order 2019: consultation analysis
The Scottish Government has published a summary of responses to their consultation on the Continuing Care (Scotland) Amendment Order 2019 made under the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.
Continuing Care is defined in new section 26A(4) of the 1995 Act, and when implemented on 1 April 2015, eligibility for Continuing Care only applied to a single cohort of care leavers, aged sixteen. The Scottish Government intends to increase the higher age for Continuing Care annually and this is the fourth and final in the planned series of amendments to the Continuing Care (Scotland) Order 2015 to increase the higher age to twenty-one.
There was universal agreement from the 4 individual and 22 organisations who responded that extending the upper age limit of eligibility to twenty-one is the expected and welcomed course of action.
Supported accomodation: a study
12 December 2018
CELCIS has published a research study which examines independent supported accommodation commissioned by local authorities in Scotland.
The study involved visits to four independent providers that provide supported accommodation for ‘homeless young people’ in Scotland. In reality these services are providing ‘move on’ accommodation for care leavers between the ages of 16 and 18. All the services reported that young people were generally arriving too young to easily manage the responsibilities of adult life, and it is generally the most vulnerable/unsettled young people who move into this type of accommodation.
What I found was a ‘mixed bag’ of strengths and challenges, and for me it’s difficult to draw common conclusions.
The study was initiated and undertaken by James Frame with support from CELCIS. James is supporting work within CELCIS in his role as a care experienced consultant, and has a particular interest in improving post-care accommodation and support options for care leavers.
Good Practice Note guides local authorities through Council Tax exemptions for Care Leavers
23 October 2018
The Scottish Care Leavers Covenant Alliance, in association with CELCIS has published a Good Practice Note for local authorities who are implementing the recent legislative change which determines that all young care leavers across Scotland are exempt from paying council tax.
The practice note is in response to feedback from a wide range of stakeholders, gathered at a recent roundtable workshop, where they discussed the effective and consistent implementation of the Council Tax (Discounts) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2018 (SSI, 2018 No.39) (the Regulations) in their role as Corporate Parents. The Practice note outlines key considerations and a range of measures for local authorities to take in implementing the regulations, now established in law.
The exemption applies to any eligible 'care leaver' (as set out in section 29 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, and amended by section 66 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 and who:
has been looked after by a local authority from 16 years old or at any subsequent point after this date
is aged between 18 and 26 years
lives on their own
This practice note is drawn from the discussions and outlines key considerations and a range of measures for local authorities to take as Corporate Parents to ensure consistent and effective implementation of the regulations, now established in law.
South Lanarkshire Council show commitment to care leavers by signing the Covenant
22 November 2018
South Lanarkshire Council has become the latest local authority to show its commitment to Scotland’s care leavers, by signing up to, and endorsing the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant.
Conference-goers packed into council HQ as speakers discussed What Matters to Me at the Corporate Parenting Conference. Councillor Maureen Chalmers, Deputy Leader of the council, and Service Manager Liz Lafferty took time out to sign up and demonstrate the council’s support to work for real change in the lives of young people with care exerience.
SCLC Council Tax exemption round-table and practice exchange workshop
6 September 2018
Hosted by CELCIS and our Alliance, delegates from 13 local authorities attended a round-table discussion on implementing the legislation on council tax exemption in Scotland for young care leavers. Delegates included throughcare, housing, and revenue staff within local authorities, and the event was supported by Staf, CYCY and WC?S
Kenny McGhee, CELCIS Throughcare and Aftercare Lead welcomed delegates and set the context:
"The Council Tax exemption is a positive step to begin to address the issue of care leaver poverty and financial hardship, and the assumption of entitlement supports and informs this. However it is only a one of a range of inter-connected steps that need to be taken. WE know from other positive policy intentions that implementation can be inconsistent and today's event is designed to address some of the blocks and enablers."
We had a series of brief presentations from Jenny Kane (Falkirk) Chris Wright (Dundee City) Peter Finn (Glasgow) and Jean Cullen (North Ayrshire) who described how implementation was being approached in their respective local area, identifying the positive measures taken to ensure consistent implementation for all eligible young people, and highlighting some of the ongoing challenges, for example re identification and notification issues and the thorny issue of outstanding arrears.
Charlotte Armitage described the really positive impact this exemption had on her as a care experienced young person, lifting a financial burden that most other young people wouldn’t have to face at their age as they would have financial support from the family home. Charlottes insightful and passionate contribution highlighted that whilst the council tax exemption was very positive initiative, we need to look at the wider context of why care experienced young people were put into this situation in the first place at such a young age.
The plan is to develop a Good Practice Note and circulate throughout the sector to further support and ensure consistent implementation across all 32 local authorities.
The SCLC Alliance submits a response to the Scottish Government’s Consultation on Protection of Vulnerable Groups and the Disclosure of Criminal Information
18 July 2018
In this response we highlight our belief that the current situation is not acceptable for care experienced young people. Accruing ‘convictions’ in childhood for behaviour that may be rooted in trauma, can have a life-long impact and it is essential to avoid inappropriate and disproportionate adult responses. The psychological and emotional impact of the disclosure process can serve to have a re-traumatising and stigmatising effect. This can act as a barrier to care experienced people applying for work in the first place and impede their ability to ‘move on’.
A project at University of Strathclyde helps care leavers to access university
26 April 2018
The University of Strathclyde has won an award for its innovative programme which supports young people with experience of care to progress through higher education, from pre-application to graduation and beyond.
Strathclyde Cares was presented its Guardian University Award on Tuesday (24 April) this week under the 'Retention, support and student outcomes' category. The Awards, which are in their sixth year, recognise the universities that inspire students and transform communities.
The Strathclyde Cares project was established to reduce the gap between looked after young people in Scotland who go to university, compared to all school leavers. The University of Strathclyde has already signed up to the Covenant
Debating disclosure
On 25 April 2018, the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant, CELCIS and CYCJ brought together over 80 delegates from the youth justice and looked after children workforce to discuss and debate the important issues surrounding the disclosure of childhood criminal records.
Speakers from Disclosure Scotland, Who Cares? Scotland, Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration, Clan Childlaw, and the University of Strathclyde provided an overview of the current system of disclosure, highlighted areas of challenge, and explored the potential options for systems change. Presentations and voice recordings from this event and a write up will be available on our website soon. At the event, Scottish Government launched a consultation on proposals to review the disclosure regime, including the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme.
Nevis Group sign the Covenant
11 April 2018
As Scotland’s first dedicated care leaver employer, Nevis Group is the most recent organisation to sign up to the Covenant.
As he officially signed up, Chief Executive Joe Rankin said:
"We are delighted and proud to sign the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant. As an organisation that focuses on the employment of care leavers, helping them to break down the barriers that may hold them back in employment and life as well as challenging the negative perceptions of care leavers in the labour market, it was a ‘why wouldn’t you’ moment for us.
"Nevis Group is Scotland’s first dedicated employer of care leavers, offering a real job for a real living wage with no strings attached. Through our CareTrade brand we also offer training and support to help care leavers become professionals with care experience rather than professional care leavers."
Nevis Group will be opeining the Nevis Coffee & Bistro in Glasgow City Centre later this year.
Pictured: Council Leader Jim Logue and Councillor Willie Goldie sign the Covenant with Kenny McGhee from the Care Leavers Alliance.
Council commits to improve the lives of young care leavers
North Lanarkshire Council is the latest organisation to sign up to the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant.
Health, housing, education, employment and young persons’ rights are key areas the council will consider along with its partners, to deliver practical assistance for young care leavers.
Councillor William Goldie, who moved the motion at the council’s Policy and Resources Committee, said:
“Care leavers often struggle on the journey out of care and into independence, as for many there is little support or practical guidance. As a result, the challenges are often too great and they can continue to experience problems that lead to far poorer outcomes than their peers.
“Often care leavers find it challenging to make the transition into adulthood with little support in securing employment, maintaining tenancies, accessing health services and finding training or further education opportunities.
“It can be difficult after years in the care system, to suddenly move on without support or help. Care leavers tend to lack the positive family and social supports that most of us take for granted therefore it’s important that our council provides as much support as it can to assist our care leavers to have a better chance in life.”
The four guiding principles of the covenant are:
Care-proofing of policy – care leavers will be treated as a ‘protected group’ in policies
Assumption of entitlement – care leavers are entitled to services, support and opportunities, up to their 26th birthday.
Staying put and continuing care - care leavers are actively encouraged, enabled and empowered to benefit from ‘Staying Put’ arrangements, remaining in positive care settings until they are ready to move on.
Relationships - demonstrate that priority is given to relationship-based practice, based on understanding, empathy, respect, and ‘stickability’.
Speaking on behalf of the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant Alliance group, Kenny McGhee, welcomed the news said:
“We are delighted North Lanarkshire Council have joined the growing number of Scottish local authorities in making this commitment to their care leavers.
“The Covenant urges all corporate parents to be the very best they can be to ensure that their care leavers benefit from the highest levels of care and support into adulthood."
Homeless Action Scotland understands the need for the Covenant
Homeless Action Scotland is the latest organisation to sign up to the Covenant. At the signing Chief Executive Gavin Yates said:
“Being a corporate parent is the most important job that any individual or organisation can have. The Scottish Care Leaver’s Covenant is a vital contribution to ensuring that services work for young people with care experience. I hope that more organisations sign up not just in name but in action too.
“As Scotland’s homelessness membership body we understand the very real link between poor care transitions and homelessness, but with better provision of support and care then we can start to change this for the better.”
Council vows to give all young people in South Ayrshire a chance to achieve their ambitions
South Ayrshire Council has just signed up to the Covenant. They're keen that everyone in South Ayrshire has the opportunities to achieve their ambitions regardless of background.
The Council is looking to provide the best care possible and is following the guidance set out in the covenant to ensure young people don’t become disadvantaged as a result of their care experience.
Councillor Douglas Campbell, Leader South Ayrshire Council said:
“We are already committed to ensuring all young people have the best possible start in life and signing the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant cements our position."
Councillor Julie Dettbarn continued:
“Our champions are an inspiration and I know just how much signing the covenant means to them. We have listened to their experiences and are committed to working closely with them to build best practice and demonstrate how much they matter.”
Alex Horne, Champions for Change South Ayrshire Champions Board sessional worker added:
“I’m really pleased that South Ayrshire Council has signed the Care Leavers Covenant. This is a commitment which will make a huge difference to improving the support and understanding for care leavers across South Ayrshire.”
Olivia Khan, Participation Assistant -Champions for Change, South Ayrshire Champions Board said
“Signing the Care Leavers Covenant feels like a great start for our Champions Board. I really feel that our corporate parents are determined to make positive changes for all care leavers in South Ayrshire.”
Happiness, love and understanding
Bruce Adamson, Children and Young People's Commissioner for Scotland gave a keynote speech at the recent and first ever Scottish Care Leavers Covenant Conference in Glasgow.
He spoke passionately about his commitment to the rights of care leavers, and the need to get the great policies and actions of the Covenant into practice. We need to do this together.
Bruce's starting point is always happiness, love and understanding.
Scottish Funding Council join us
John Kemp, interim chief executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said:
“SFC is delighted to support the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant to change the lives of care experienced young people. Attracting more young care leavers into college and university is a priority for us as part of our work to ensure fair access to further and higher education in Scotland. We cannot allow the current pattern of poor outcomes for this group to continue.”
Our first ever Scottish Care Leavers Covenant Conference is a sell out
On 26 October, over 140 practitioners, managers and leaders came together to share learning and look at the next steps in facilitating change for Scotland's care leavers. The event was a full house with people coming from all over Scotland and beyond. We had a fantastic line up of keynote speakers:
Mike Stein, Emeritus Professor of Social Policy, University of York
Judith Tait, and Neil Gentleman, Care Inspectorate
Bruce Adamson, Commissioner for Children and Young People in Scotland
Delegates took part in a variety of workshops, showcasing co-production at it's best.
The photograph shows some of our Alliance Group members with the keynote speakers.
A full conference report will be available soon.
Council tax exemptions will reduce financial burden for care leavers
The Scottish Government has announced the law is to change to exempt all young care leavers from paying council tax.
The Scottish Care Leavers Covenant Alliance group, with partners, has been campaigning for this change in legislation in recent months. Many local authorities have endorsed the Covenant, and it is supported by individual MSPs from all the main parties.
Joanne McMeeking, Head of Improving Care Experiences at CELCIS, said:
"The announcement by First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, presents a fundamental change to law in making young care leavers exempt from paying council tax.
"Care leavers are particularly vulnerable when it comes to the financial demands of independent living. The impact of poverty on care leavers is well documented. One of our main concerns is how council tax debt can escalate quickly, increasing the pressure on care leavers.
"This is a huge step in reducing the financial burden on young care leavers in Scotland.
"The Scottish Care Leavers Covenant supports the principle that corporate parents will assume all care leavers are entitled to services, support and opportunities, up to their 26th birthday.
"This change in law is a fantastic example of corporate parenting in action."
Move to exempt care leavers from Council Tax in North Ayrshire
North Ayrshire Council wants to be the first local authority in Scotland to exempt care experienced young people from Council Tax.
Scottish Councils do not have the power to introduce Council Tax exemptions however the Council is calling on the Scottish Government to give them delegated powers.
To allow them to do so the Scottish Government would have to amend the Local Government Finance Act 1992 or implement new Council Tax exemption regulations.
Speaking on the issue, the Leader of North Ayrshire Council and the Council’s Finance Portfolio Holder, Joe Cullinane said;
“One of the most important roles Councillors hold is as a corporate parent to our young people in care.
“This is a group of young people with talent, skills and ambitions just like their peers. However, we know the many challenges they face in being able to fulfil their potential. It is therefore our task to provide the right mix of support and opportunities to allow young people in care to achieve their life goals.
“Here in North Ayrshire we have taken steps to put care experienced young people at the heart of what we do but we can go further. There are significant financial pressures on young people leaving care including Council Tax and one way we could help financially would be to exempt them from that.
“Scottish Councils do not currently have the powers to implement such an exemption. We would like to become the first Scottish Council to deliver a Council Tax exemption for our care experienced young people and we are therefore calling on the Scottish Government to give us the necessary powers to do so.”
First 'Housing First' project launched in UK
Edinburgh-based youth homelessness charity, Rock Trust, has launched the UK’s first ever Housing First for Youth project in West Lothian.
The two year pilot, delivered in partnership with Almond Housing Association, will place vulnerable young care leavers into permanent housing, rather than temporary accommodation.
This will be the first time the Housing First model is used with a focus on young people in the UK. There are currently nine projects in England and one in Scotland which support adults of all ages. This approach differs from traditional routes to permanent housing, as young people do not pass through stages of temporary accommodation before being placed in their own home.
Sheltand Isles Council become latest local authority to sign covenant
Councillor George Smith of Shetland Islands Council, has signed the Scottish Care Leavers’ Covenant, pledging to support young people after they leave care.
Signing the Covenant affirms Shetland's commitment to improving the lives of young people as they transition into adulthood.
Shetland Islands Council recently agreed to form a Corporate Parenting Board, that will oversee the implementation of the Corporate Parenting Strategy, in line with requirements of the legislation under the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.
George Smith, Chair of the Education & Families Committee said:
“Children and young people can be looked after for a number of reasons and they may have had traumatic or difficult life experiences. There are young people in Shetland who need our support and protection and the Council has a responsibility to do our very best for them. I’m pleased to sign this Covenant and to commit Council staff and elected members to giving the best possible future to young people who have experienced care in Shetland.”
Registration requirements for continuing care clarified
The continuing care legislation set out in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Acts supports providing continuing care for young people over the age of 16 and under 26 years. This has caused some confusion around registration requirements for workers and services, as continuing care for young people beyond the age of 16 may mean for some residential childcare services are caring for young adults as well as children and young people.
Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and the Care Inspectorate have announced that there will be no changes to registration requirements.
Questions about how staff and services should be registered with the SSSC and the Care Inspectorate have been raised, but care homes and school care accomodation will continue to be registered with the Care Inspectorate as residential childcare services. If you work in these settings, you will continue to be registered on the parts of the SSSC Register for child care and residential school care, meaning no changes are needed to your registration.
Covenant Conference
Walking the Walk: Two Years On: Looking back to move forward
About the Covenant
The Scottish Care Leavers Covenant was launched in October 2015, to help change the lives of care leavers. It supports Scotland’s corporate parents, carers, practitioners, managers and decision makers to fulfil their duties. Almost 500 organisations and individuals have endorsed the Covenant so far and it’s being used by corporate parents, at both strategic and operational level, to remove barriers, change culture and improve core practice.
We’re bringing together leaders and practitioners to chart progress, share learning and identify challenges and opportunities.
Keynote speakers
We’re delighted to announce our keynote speakers:
Emeritus Professor Mike Stein from the University of York
Professor Stein has many years experience in training, dissemination and consultancy work with local authorities and voluntary organisations to improve their services for vulnerable teenagers. He has substantial experience of directing, supervising and carrying out research and evaluation, pioneering research on care leavers over 30 years in the UK and internationally. He is currently a joint co-ordinator of the Transitions from Care to Adulthood International Research group (INTRAC) representing 17 countries and worked with SOS Children¹s Villages in pioneering research on leaving care in post-communist societies.
Professor Stein was involved in the preparation of Guidance for Leaving Care legislation in the UK for: the Children Act 1989; the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000, and; the current Children Act guidance and Regulations (Vol 3: planning transitions for care leavers). He was also consulted by the DFE on Keep on Caring, supporting young people from Care to Independence (2016); and by Sir Martin Narey on Residential Care in England (2016) and is currently a member of UNICEF¹s Children¹s Rights Partners Advisory Group and Social Finance steering committee, Leaving Care Analytics Hub.
Judith Tait from the Care Inspectorate
Bruce Adamson, Commissioner for Children and Young People in Scotland
The Covenant gets support from other parts of the UK as the National Leaving Care Benchmarking Forum endorse it
"The National Leaving Care Benchmarking Forum is delighted to announce their endorsement and whole hearted support to the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant. The 88 English local authority members voted overwhelmingly to support the Covenant at their managers peer support conference in July 2017. We look forward to working together to continue to promote best practice and improve outcomes for care leavers both north and south of the border. Scotland and England's care leavers should indeed expect nothing less from their corporate parents and indeed wider society."
Alice Frank
National Leaving Care Benchmarking Forum
Scotland's Children and Young People's Commissioner signs the Covenant
"I am delighted to sign up to the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant and endorse the guiding principles contained within it. My own legislation extends my mandate to promote and safeguard the rights of young people up to age of 21 if they are care experienced and from the earliest days of the office, the rights of those leaving care has been a priority. Many of the serious concerns identified in Sweet 16? The Age of Leaving Care in Scotland, the report that my office laid before the Scottish Parliament in 2008, unfortunately still exist today.
"We know that young people leaving care often struggle in their transition to adulthood and that this can result in much poorer outcomes for them than their peers. Alongside the special protection and assistance guaranteed in Article 20 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) to children in care, care leavers must be supported to enjoy all their human rights throughout adulthood. In 2005, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child issued recommendations that States Parties and other stakeholders facilitate and enhance the child’s transition to independent living. The Scottish Care Leavers Covenant brings this commitment to life.
"The Covenant challenges current thinking and practice. It provides clear actions for change across the broad range of civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights. It aims to reduce health inequalities, social exclusion and isolation, and to improve access to suitable housing as well as addressing homelessness. It prioritises the full and meaningful implementation of Staying Put to ensure that the right to remain in positive care settings until care leavers are ready to move on. It requires actions relating to youth justice, as well as addressing important ongoing issues such as access to training, education and the employment market. Importantly, the Covenant also calls on corporate parents to take a rights-based approach to support and services for care leavers is adopted which puts their empowerment and participation at the heart of decision-making.
"I know that many organisations have worked collaboratively to produce this Covenant and I pledge to continue to work with them to ensure that the rights of care leavers are upheld so that they can have the positive futures they deserve.”
Bruce Adamson
Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland
Street legal is the latest to sign up to help care leavers
We were delighted to join Rachel Farrier of Street Legal as she formally signed up to help Scotland's care leavers by endorsing the Covenant.
Street Legal is a new partnership project between Clan Childlaw and Streetwork and provides free legal advice and help to young people (up to the age of 26) who are, or at risk of homelessness in Edinburgh.
We're delighted to have you on board!
MCR Pathways commit to changing lives for care leavers
MCR Pathways became the latest organisation to sign up to the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant recently, committing to work towards real change in the lives of care leavers. MCR provides school-based mentoring support for care experienced young people. To help them reach their full potential. The Covenant outlines the partnership approach that’s needed to make real and sustained changeand offers clear guidance on how to meet the needs of young people who are often face additional disadvantage.
Speaking at the signing, MCR Pathways CEO, Iain MacRitchie said:
"MCR Pathways is absolutely delighted to support the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant in their mission to encourage more corporate parents to actively provide advice, support, a helping hand and tangible opportunities for our young people.
Providing schools-based mentoring and talent development, we see the challenges our care experienced young people face every day. Our programme, and Glasgow's volunteer mentors, are making a life-changing difference. Through providing our young people with a listening, encouraging ear and sparking aspirations, we're having a massive impact on staying on rates, attainment, and positive post-school destinations.
The work that the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant does is fantastic. We're extremely proud to share their values - to ensure every single young person in Scotland gets the same educational outcomes and life chances as their peers. Regardless of their background or circumstances.
We've already done a lot of work with the SCLC and looking forward to working even harder to help improve the life chances of even more care experienced young people,
Care leavers and council tax
Read about the impact of the council tax on care leavers and the financial hardship they face.
Edinburgh Napier University sign up and go public!
Professor Andrea Nolan, Pincipal at Edinburgh Napier University announced that they'd signed up to the Covenant in a really public way. They chose Care Day on 17 February to sign up and make it public by beaming it across the university on their IT screens.
North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership becomes the latest organisation to support care leavers
North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership pledged its support for the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant when Joe Cullinane, Chair of the CPP (and Leader of North Ayrshire Council) signed up to the Covenant.
At their December meeting, the Board heard a presentation on Corporate Parenting that spoke about the importance of work opportunities for young people to help progress towards a positive destination. They agreed to make a social impact pledge on increased support for care leavers including employment opportunities, work experience, and Modern Apprenticeships or mentoring.
So far, Elma Murray, CEO of North Ayrshire Council, and Brian Shaw, Chief Inspector, Police Scotland and CPP Board member, have agreed to mentor a young person in a Modern Apprenticeship role. Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are currently discussing work experience programmes that they can provide.
Care Inspectorate supports the Covenant
The Care Inspectorate has become the latest organisation to show it's support to Scottish care leavers by signing up to endorse the Covenant.
Karen Reid, Chief Executive, said
"I welcome the opportunity to support and endorse the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant and Agenda for Change, and its principles and actions.
“Improving outcomes for looked after young people and care leavers is a collective responsibility and the Care Inspectorate is committed to working in partnership to support Scotland’s corporate parents to ensure that our looked after children, young people and care leavers benefit from the highest quality of care.
“We are committed to supporting the consistent implementation of good practice, working alongside providers and practitioners to drive continued improvement of care, to raise standards and expectations and to make Scotland the best place for children to thrive and grow up. The Scottish Care Leavers Covenant offers a clear and engaging framework to bring consistent to practice for young people transitioning from care and for their continued support into adulthood."
NHS Scotland endorse the Covenant
Paul Gray, Director General Health and Social Care, NHS Scotland pledged his support for the Covenant. Speaking to us at the official signing, Mr Gray said:
“I am delighted to sign up to the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant. I believe that NHS Scotland should embrace the principles in the Covenant, and ensure that care leavers are given appropriate support to achieve the best possible outcomes in their lives”
West Dunbartonshire Council join us
Joyce White CEO and elected members from West Dunbartonshire Council signed the Covenant at a recent corporate parenting event.
Calm Training become the latest organisation to sign the Covenant
Dr Brodie Paterson signs the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant on behalf of Calm Training. Pictured here at the Scottish Learning Festival with Lizzie Morton of CELCIS.
Unicef UK committed to helping Scottish care leavers
Karolina Kozlowicz, Programme Officer at Child Rights Partners, Unicef UK took time out of her busy schedule to show her commitment to Scottish care leavers.
She visited the CELCIS office to sign the Covenant and endorse its Agenda for Change.
Talking about the importance of the Covenant, Karolina said:
"We welcome the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant and its explicit recognition of the need for more robust support for care leavers. As an organisation focused on promoting and advancing the rights of children and young people, including the most vulnerable, we share the concern expressed by the drafters of the Covenant that there is an urgent need for policy commitments to be translated into practice through coordinated, effective implementation. We endorse the focus within the Covenant on the young person and their outcomes and commend the call for a child rights approach to frame all services for care leavers. A child rights approach empowers and brings professionals and young people together, creating a space for dialogue and for young people to influence and shape the services that are there for them. As stated in the Covenant, in order to secure a transformational change in outcomes for care leavers, a shift in both culture and practice is needed. We believe a child rights approach provides a framework that can facilitate such a shift."
SSSC signs up to change care leavers lives
Chief Executive Anna Fowlie signs the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant on behalf of the SSSC.
See the full story on their website.
Kenny McGhee of CELCIS blogs on the Covenant, six months on.
Read the blog on the CELCIS website.
East Renfrewshire Council's the latest local authority to support the Covenant
What's happened in the last six months?
Read Kenny McGhee's blog on the first six months of the Covenant. Hear about the blood sweat (and tears) that went into producing the Covenant, and the plans as we move forward.
Read Kenny's blog on the CELCIS website.
Borders College become the latest organisation to join the Covenant
L-R: Liz McIntyre (Borders College Principal), Brian Jamieson (President of Borders College Students Association), Jen MacKenzie (Care Aware Advisor) & Ewan Ross (CELCIS)
Borders College is the latest education provider to sign up to the Covenant. College Principal Liz McIntyre signedat the inaugural meeting of the Borders Young Talent Steering Group at the Campus. The Borders Young Talent Programme (BYTP) supports senior phase pupils who:
are looked after away from home, either in foster or residential care
are in kinship care or looked after while they remain at home
have caring responsibilities for either an adult or sibling
or for whom rural/social deprivation is having a significant impact
Each young person is allocated a dedicated mentor who will become their advocate, adviser and provide one-to-one support to help with a successful transition from their Schools Academy course into a full-time or work-based course at Borders College.
University of Strathclyde signs Scottish Care Leavers Covenant
Principal Professor Sir Jim McDonald signed the Covenant on behalf of the University of Strathclyde, helped by Laura Burton, a first year Social Work student and Kimberley Calderhead, a Modern Apprentice with CELCIS, the Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children.
Agenda for Change template now online
An accessible resource for corporate parents and other organisations providing support services to care leavers. It supports the preparation of corporate parenting plans and service delivery plans. The framework can be incorporated and integrated fully into local plans, or can be adapted to meet local circumstances and specific outcomes.
Download the Agenda for Change template
Dumfries and Galloway Council sign up to the Covenant
Connor Chalmers talks about his work with the Covenant in Children in Scotland magazine
Recent care leaver Connor Chalmers one of the young people who helped guide the work behind the Covenant, appeared in the December issue of Children in Scotland magazine.
Iriss sign up to endorse the Covenant
The Alliance group met in December to take forward the work on the Scottish Care Leavers Covenant
Conner and Simone share their experiences of being in care to the audience at the launch event