Rally looks for a right to be loved
HUNDREDS of people with experience of the Scottish care system gathered in Glasgow to campaign for the right to be loved.
The Love Rally brought care-experienced people from all over Scotland together along with others from all over the world.
Organisers said the event presened a moment in history, where for the first time ever, care-experienced people took to the streets to demand recognition and ask to be loved.
The rally and march, held yesterday, were organised by Who Cares? Scotland, a national voluntary organisation, working with care-experienced young people and care leavers across Scotland.
The group’s CEO, Duncan Dunlop, said: “This will be an historic moment. Never has the care community and friends claimed the public space before.
“We are demanding that the discrimination they suffer on a daily basis ends – that their right to be loved finally becomes a reality.
“We aim to change that negative attitude through a public demonstration of positivity and love towards care-experienced people.
“This is not an angry march, but a positive celebration for all care-experienced people of all ages and stages.
The event began with a gathering in St Enoch Square at lunchtime before a procession through the streets of Glasgow, led by a small band.
The afternoon culminated with a rally on the steps of the Royal Concert Hall, with politicians and care experts from across the country taking part.
Who Cares? Scotland’s Kevin Browne-MacLeod added: “Care-experienced people and Who Cares? Scotland’s 2,000-plus members have told us that love is the most important element that they feel is missing from care at present and they have no right to experience it.
“Unfortunately, this has led to so many never experiencing love, never feeling love and never being told that they are loved.
“In fact, many communities have actively campaigned against care-experienced people being in their community.
“This is because of the stigma attached to being in care which has resulted in care-experienced people being ashamed and silenced.
“Care-experienced people now feel proud and have organised this rally to tell people they deserve to be loved.”
Minister for Children and Young People, Maree Todd MSP, was among those who addressed the crowd, telling them: “I am committed to your cause.
“I am standing right beside you. I will use whatever influence and experience I have to help you.
“Here’s to a lifetime of love.”
On Twitter, Ryan Mccuaig said: “Today we marched for a lifetime of love for care-experienced people. The energy and positivity on show during the march today was so inspiring.”
According to the charity’s figures, 14,897 children were being “looked after” on July 31, 2017.
That is a decrease of three per cent from 2015-16, and the fifth consecutive year of decline. “Looked after” is the official terminology used by Scotland’s national and local government bodies to describe children and young people who are in the care of a local authority.
Data also shows that over the last 10 years, children have started to be looked after at younger ages.
In 2007, 30% of children starting to be looked after were under five years of age.
By 2017 this had risen to 39%, although this is a decline from a peak of 41% in 2014.