Every child deserves to feel loved
IT WAS National Care Day on Friday and I spent the morning talking to some incredible young people who have experience of the care system.
Since I became First Minister, I’ve been listening to their stories to better understand what life is like for children and young people who grow up in care.
Those conversations have convinced me that we must have a care system that makes things happen for young people in care, not just one that stops things happening to them.
Yes, we need to protect children but despite the enormous efforts of everyone working in care, we just haven’t done as well as we should at giving them the same chances to succeed in life as children in our own families might have.
Last week, I announced that Fiona Duncan will lead a root and branch review of Scotland’s care system.
Fiona has personal experience of the care system and people like her will be at the heart of that review.
Those involved in the review will be sharing their experiences to help create a better care system in Scotland – one that focuses on providing support, opportunity and love to those young people we are responsible for.
More than anything else, these young people tell me that they want to be and feel loved. Every child deserves that.