Care Experienced Week

This week marks Scotland’s first Care Experienced Week, providing a chance through a series of events to celebrate all those who have been in and left care.

We cannot underestimate the amazing contribution these individuals make to our society.

Not only the around 15,000 currently in care, but all those who have left. The challenges many of them have faced is immense.

Only six per cent of those who are care experienced go to university and nearly half will suffer mental health issues.

Half of the adult prison population are people who lived in care when they were growing up.

Worst of all a young person who has been in care is 20 times more likely to be dead by the time they are 25 than a young person who hasn’t.

Every young person should have an equal opportunity to succeed in life.

We should celebrate the progress that has been made that has allowed many of our young people who grow up in care to do great things in life. There

are, however, still many challenges facing young people who are care experienced, and their opportunities are all too often not the same as other young people in Scotland.

The care system must and can do better by our most vulnerable children and young people.

We need to create a system that puts love for the children it cares for at its very heart.

That is why the current independent review of Scotland’s care system is to be greatly welcomed.

So let us use this first Care Experienced Week to celebrate the achievements, not only of those who have had a positive care experience, but to shed a light on those who struggle, and for more support for these uniquely vulnerable individuals.

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition: Tom McGhee, chairman, Spark of Genius; Duncan Dunlop, Chief Executive, Who Cares? Scotland; Stuart Jacob, Director, Falkland House School; Niall Kelly, MD, Young Foundations and Lynn Bell, CEO, Love Learning Scotland