'The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.'
Maya Angelou, All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes
The Scottish Care Leavers Covenant was launched in October 2015 to support Scotland's corporate parents, practitioners, managers, and decision-makers to fulfil their duties to improve the life chances of all of Scotland's care experienced young people. Since its launch, the Covenant has been endorsed and utilised by a wide range of corporate parents, both at strategic and operational level, to remove barriers, improve opportunities, change culture and improve core practice.
The themes of 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.
Have a look at some of the photographs from the day, see the presentations, or listen to Carol Craig as she discusses the topic of her presentation.
Keynote presentations
What our delegates said
“[I learned] how the covenant is progressing in the bigger picture and the issues it faces. It is easy to lose oneself in the local area and the issues facing practitioners there. Sometimes it’s good to get out of that for a day.”
“The presentations and discussions regarding progress made were really good. Similarly discussions and questions about progress made and ‘what next ‘ I found very useful. The passion and drive was clear from most speakers and that in itself is very energising and motivating.”
“I found the guest speakers very interesting and the most poignant part of the day for me was the workshop where I met the 5 unaccompanied asylum seeker young people. This experience has had a lasting effect on me and I have been sharing this experience with others - very humbling.”
“I will use my learning and implement knowledge, information and activities in to the 5 Day Permanence Planning learning event we hold for social workers.”
“I’m a member of the Care Inspectorate Corporate Parenting group and today gave me a more solid background into why this role is so important (I’m fairly new to the Care Inspectorate). I also work to support Children and Young People in improvement so all the learning from the Covenant cemented this.”
“In my role as Training Officer in East Ayrshire, this conference greatly improved my learning. The main points for me were the importance of siblings’ relationships and how we must improve our commitment to these.”