Today, Maree Todd, Minister for Childcare and Early Years, presented the first report on Corporate Parenting Activity in Scotland to the Scottish Parliament. [1] Covering the 3-year period between April 2015 and March 2018 the report reflects on the impact corporate parenting support under Part 9 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, has had on Scotland’s care experienced children and young people.
Who Cares? Scotland has worked with corporate parents over the same time-scale to support the interpretation and implementation of their duties. Prior to this, and before corporate parents were outlined in the 2014 Act, Who Cares? Scotland supported corporate parenting policy intentions to be realised. [2]
Duncan Dunlop, CEO of Who Cares? Scotland said of today’s report:
It is significant that parliament can collectively review the impact of the corporate parenting intentions of the 2014 Act.
It is heartening that there are many positive examples of how corporate parents are implementing their duties throughout the report – alongside a commitment to assess how well they are doing in partnership with their care experienced young people.
However, it is also clear that there are still areas for improvement. We are committed to ensuring that corporate parents continue to make progress alongside care experienced people.
We have always believed that the full intentions of the duties on corporate parents will only be realised where corporate parents and care experienced people work together to achieve that. We look forward to continuing to do that in partnership with our care experienced members and Scotland’s corporate parents.
The importance of care experienced children and young people feeling like their corporate parents are listening to them is clear in the report. “Feedback from care experienced children and young people has been clear; they want their views to be heard and acted upon. There are no excuses for not taking this on board today, tomorrow and forever.” [3]
The report recognises the need of senior leaders developing a culture within corporate parents, where everyone feels they have permission to embrace their duties. This reflects evidence that Who Cares? Scotland has directly from our members. Duncan Dunlop commented,
Our members have long told us that their relationship is not with the organisation itself, but instead the people within it.
Where they have a positive experience with more of those people, they have a better level of belief and association with that corporate parent. They also tell other children and young people about that experience.
The impact initiatives like Champions Boards have on helping these relationships develop with people within corporate parents is encouraging. Especially where those boards are led by the most senior people.
Who Cares? Scotland will continue to support the Scottish Government and corporate parents to take forward the identified priorities. These include seeking views of those with care experience, supporting collaboration, encouraging senior level understanding and support and assessing the needs of those with care experience.
To find out more about the support offered to corporate parents from Who Cares? Scotland, please call 0141 226 4441 and speak to Chloe Dobson, Training and Education Manager or visit https://www.whocaresscotland.org/what-we-do/support-to-corporate-parents/ for more information.
Notes:
[1] – Report on Corporate Parenting: turning legislation into practice together (June 28, 2018) http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0053/00537585.pdf
[2] – The dedicated online resource for corporate parents, delivered by Who Cares? Scotland, can be found here – http://www.corporateparenting.org.uk/
[2] – Page 45, Report on Corporate Parenting: turning legislation into practice together (June 28, 2018) http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0053/00537585.pdf
