On 5th February 2020, Scotland’s children’s care, support and protection landscape marked an incredibly momentous occasion. The Promise was published and received full cross party support in Parliament. How did that happen? Well, It was after 4 years of listening, analysing and, investigating by The Independent Care Review .
The review heard the real, lived experience of people who had lived within, or worked within the ‘care system’. Over five and a half thousand people selflessly shared their stories. For that, Scotland must be eternally grateful because, if it wasn’t for those people sharing their stories in the hope of a brighter tomorrow, we simply wouldn’t be here today.
The Promise has 84 conclusions within it detailing what Scotland needs to do to transform the care system for those who’s lives it touches. Fundamentally, what the care review heard was Scotland’s care system wasn’t fit for purpose. And, radical changes need to happen to make sure all children grow up loved, safe and respected, so they can reach their full potential.
The conclusions span the length and breadth of the care sector. It talks about what the children’s hearing system needs to do differently, it talks about what care providers, local authorities, police and a variety of other partners need to do to ensure that, when children feel safe within their families and they are loved, they must stay.
Fundamentally, The Promise consolidates and weaves a narrative that we must place lived experience, firmly at the centre of any change. People with lived experience are experts within their own lives and they should be treated as such.
There are five foundations to The Promise – all just as important as each other. These foundations must be at the heart of a reorganisation of how Scotland thinks, plans and prioritises for children and their families. These are:
Voice
Children must be listened to and meaningfully and appropriately involved in decision-making about their care, with all those involved properly listening and responding to what children want and need. There must be a compassionate, caring, decision-making culture focussed on children and those they trust.
Family
Where children are safe in their families and feel loved they must stay – and families must be given support together to nurture that love and overcome the difficulties which get in the way.
Care
Where living with their family is not possible, children must stay with their brothers and sisters where safe to do so and belong to a loving home, staying there for as long as needed.
People
The children that Scotland cares for must be actively supported to develop relationships with people in the workforce and wider community, who in turn must be supported to listen and be compassionate in their decision-making and care.
Scaffolding
Children, families and the workforce must be supported by a system that is there when it is needed. The scaffolding of help, support and accountability.
It is by Scotland rallying together in the pursuit of change that will see us collectively Keep The Promise. It will be difficult. We won’t get it right all the time and we will make mistakes. But, there is no alternative, Scotland’s children and families are relying on us to ensure that the brave listening executed by the review, never needs to happen again.
I, alongside my team will work across includem, across Scotland with everyone and anyone to ensure we do our part. If you want to get in touch, you can reach us at promise@includem.co.uk
We can, and I believe we will #KeepThePromise
