A decade of care: A corporate parenting update from Scottish Ministers 2021 - 2024

4: Supporting corporate parenting across Scotland

The Scottish Government funds Who Cares? Scotland, Scotland’s national membership organisation for care experienced people, to provide training and support for all corporate parents. Bespoke training is available on statutory corporate parenting duties and the issues faced by those with care experience when receiving support from corporate parents, along with advice on developing and improving Corporate Parenting Plans. The Who Cares? Scotland Resource Library hosts corporate parenting resources which can be downloaded and integrated into existing training platforms.

An important duty of corporate parents is to collaborate to improve the support provided for care experienced people. The Who Cares? Scotland Collaborative Corporate Parenting Network provides a supportive space for corporate parents to come together and collaborate and share Corporate Parenting Plans, practice, learning and ambitions in an informal, exploratory way.

Who Cares? Scotland Corporate Parenting Awards 2024

To mark the 10-year anniversary of the incorporation of corporate parenting within legislation and celebrate positive and progressive corporate parenting practice from the last decade, Who Cares? Scotland held their first Corporate Parenting Awards in August 2024.

Fourteen awards were presented by Who Cares? Scotland to the inspirational winners below for their commitment and dedication to corporate parenting.

Care Conscious Employer

Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA)

SCRA have been ringfencing their flagship Modern Apprenticeship programme for care experienced people since 2010. These vacancies are open to care experienced people of any age, in recognition of the lifelong impact of care. Support is offered from the start of the recruitment process, with applicants invited for an informal chat and offered support with their application and/or interview. SCRA’s interviews for Modern Apprenticeships take place in a relaxed environment and have been described as more of a ‘supportive discussion’ than a formal interview. Once in post, SCRA support successful candidates to develop their individual skills and experiences. SCRA treat care experience as if it were a protected characteristic and have adjusted their practices and policies in line with the Equality Act 2010. After completing the programme, Modern Apprentices are offered a full-time traineeship for two years at SCRA, where they will complete their SVQ and apprenticeship, and after this are offered full-time, permanent employment at SCRA.

Changing the Narrative

St Peter’s Primary School, Renfrewshire

St. Peter’s Primary School have committed to creating a positive shift in language across their school. One example of this is changing their ‘positive behaviour’ policy to ensure that nurture and wellbeing is at the core. Within this policy, there is a section on shared language, adapted from The Promise, to encourage all staff to use inclusive language which is preferred by care experienced people. This has helped to change the narrative within the school, with recent surveys issued to pupils showing that children feel included and nurtured within the school. St. Peter’s Primary School also ring-fence spaces on their Pupil Council for care experienced pupils, to ensure their voices are heard when changing school policies.

Creating Financial Equality

North Ayrshire Council

In 2017, North Ayrshire Council were the first local authority in Scotland to introduce a Council Tax exemption for care experienced people, up to the age of 26. This was introduced as a local initiative in recognition of the barriers that can prevent care experienced people experiencing financial freedom. After discussions with the Scottish Government, this was then introduced nationally across Scotland.

Creating Transformation

Police Scotland

Developed from the ‘Unnecessary Criminalisation of Children in Care’ pilot, the Respect Program changes the way officers attend to incidents involving children and young people with experience of care and those living in residential houses. Police Scotland identified opportunities to alter existing practice and enhance partnerships between police and children’s houses to better support children and young people. The missing person protocol within Police Scotland saw the introduction of a new ‘absent’ category, now referred to as ‘Not at Home’, to address the unnecessary over-representation of children and young people with care experience in Police Scotland’s missing person investigations. The new ‘Not at Home’, absence category requires care staff to undertake a risk assessment which is unique to each child and young person and their current circumstances. This ensures a proportionate and effective response on each occasion a child or young person goes missing from a residential house.

Equality, Respect & Love

Sam Curran & Amanda Reynolds

Sam has been the driving force in ensuring the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) are a compliant and passionate corporate parent, with The SPA achieving recognition by the Scottish Government at the Scottish Public Sector Awards in 2023. Sam has supported colleagues in the appointment of a Care Experienced Modern Apprentice – the first appointment in the Authority’s history. Sam was fundamental in the Authority’s decision to treat care experience as a protected characteristic, considering the impact of new policies, procedures and projects on the care experienced community. Sam continues to ensure that those with experience of care have a lifetime of equality, respect and love.

Amanda works within a residential children’s house in Renfrewshire. Some of the young people she supports have described her as loving, nurturing and compassionate, and a mother figure within their life. One young person said, “the way her hugs make me feel loved is indescribable”. Amanda supports the care experienced community in Renfrewshire to grow and embodies corporate parenting by treating every child within the house like they are her own.

Excellence in Innovation

East Dunbartonshire Health & Social Care Partnership

East Dunbartonshire House Project was established in 2021 and provides a scaffolding of support around care experienced people who are leaving care and entering their own tenancy. The House Project uses a trauma informed, relationship-focused approach to ensure care experienced people are given choice on where they live and feel prepared to live independently. The support offered is tailored to support individuals and allows care experienced people to plan for the future and create a timescale for entering their tenancy. Care experienced people state that the staff at the House Project ensure they feel “supported and safe”, and “they are really transparent and honest, and they help us prepare for change”.

Lifelong Rights

Student Awards Agency Scotland

The Care Experienced Students’ Bursary was introduced in 2017, and students were required to be under the age of 26 on the first day of their first academic year to be eligible. Many care experienced people over the age of 26 advocated for this age cap to be removed, as receiving this bursary would be a significant support for them if they were to apply to Higher Education. In 2020, SAAS recognised this and removed the age cap. This means that any care experienced person, regardless of their age, can apply for the Care Experienced Students’ Bursary when applying to higher education.

Outstanding Corporate parent

Midlothian Council

Corporate parents across Midlothian Council provide a wide range of support to the care experienced community, ensuring they have access to opportunities which promote their wellbeing. One of the ways this happens is through the Midlothian House Project, where staff work closely with care experienced people to build their confidence to maintain their own tenancy. This happens through 1:1 support, empowering care experienced people and giving them the choice to enter their tenancy when they feel ready; “All of the opportunities I have been given have helped me to become the person that I am today. I am responsible for my own tenancy, I am learning to budget better, I have my own cats.” The House Project also has a Hub, which provides drop-in sessions for care experienced people to have a chat with staff and get advice and support.

Outstanding Educational Practice – Further Education

West Lothian College, West Lothian

West Lothian College’s ‘The TRUST (Trauma Responsive Unique Support Tailor-made)’, is a wraparound service which supports care experienced students, and those who have experienced trauma. The service does not have an age cap and can support any care experienced person aged 16+. The TRUST work collaboratively with many different agencies and partnerships including Throughcare and Aftercare teams, Social Workers, addiction services and homeless organisations. The TRUST aims to remove barriers to education and ensure that care experienced students have the support they need to sustain their course. The TRUST has a flexible approach to meet the needs of their care experienced students, meeting them off campus if necessary and referring them for counselling if they want to engage in this support. Furthermore, The TRUST have employed a referral system which means that staff will meet with the referrer before meeting with the care experienced person, to ensure that they do not have to retell their story and/or explain their circumstances if they do not want to.

Outstanding Educational Practice – Higher Education

University of Strathclyde, Glasgow

The University of Strathclyde offer support to care experienced students from pre-entry to post-graduation, with no age caps. Care experienced applicants who meet the minimum entry requirements are guaranteed an offer at the university. Furthermore, care experienced students receive priority for the Discretionary Fund, and are guaranteed 365 days accommodation in halls with their deposit waived. The University of Strathclyde also offered a £200 voucher for ‘Uni Kit Out’ to every care experienced student. All care experienced students are offered a staff mentor through the ‘Strathclyde Cares’ programme, which involves 1:1 support for the duration of their degree. The programme has been key to retention, providing a ‘go-to’ person if students are experiencing challenges. Care experienced students are invited to join the Strathclyde Cares committee, which meets 4 times per year and includes academic and professional services representation. The committee provides a platform for staff and students alike to implement change and has shaped policy and practice across the University. Care experienced students are prioritised for residential and education trips at the University, and are offered an annual, free Christmas dinner party. The University of Strathclyde support care experienced students to graduate, with students receiving £195 towards their graduation costs and an invitation to a fully funded graduation dinner to celebrate their achievements. Support is also offered to care experienced students for five years following their graduation via the Careers Service, to support with job hunting, CV writing, and interview skills.

Outstanding Educational Practice – Schools

Duncanrig Secondary School, South Lanarkshire

Prior to the introduction of The Promise, Duncanrig Secondary School were the first school in Scotland to implement a Care Experienced Champion. The Care Experienced Champion brought care experienced pupils together through a Champions Board, which has representatives from S1 to 6. Duncanrig host an annual Care Day celebration, where all care experienced pupils are ‘off timetable’ for the day and have the opportunity to attend a wide range of activities which promote their wellbeing. Duncanrig also have a policy in place which states that care experienced pupils should not be excluded from school, and use trauma-informed, restorative practices instead. Furthermore, Duncanrig are working extremely hard to remove the attainment gap between care experienced pupils and their peers. They have had 100% of care experienced S4 leavers leave with 5 qualifications at National 4 level, 63% of care experienced leavers leave with at least 1 qualification at National 5 level and 30% of care experienced leavers have attained at least 1 qualification at Level 6.

Positive Partnerships

Active Schools Renfrewshire, Kirklandnuek Primary school and One Ren, Renfrewshire

Kirklandneuk Primary, One Ren and Active Schools work together in a positive partnership to specifically support care experienced children within the school to be more active. This has been achieved through creating, planning, and delivering a weekly care experience sports club which is an opportunity for care experienced children to participate in activities that directly promote their wellbeing. Kirklandneuk Primary uses a wide definition of care experience, recognising families on the edges of care and adopted children. Everyone involved in the partnership has received Communities that Care training from Who Cares? Scotland to ensure that everyone understands care experience, and the unique barriers that care experienced pupils may face in relation to participation in extracurricular activities. Transport to and from the club is provided to ensure there are no barriers preventing care experienced pupils from attending. Care experienced attendees are also able to identify a friend who they want to attend the club with them to try to mitigate any possible stigma of attending. As a partnership, the team have listened and responded to the voices of care experienced pupils by consistently seeking feedback. One pupil commented: “it was the best moment of my week, and I am so happy I now attend a club in the school”.

Stable Foundations

Midlothian Council

Midlothian Council Midlothian Champions Board have been raising awareness of the housing issues that care experienced people face, which led to a successful 3-year funding bid from Life Changes Trust to bring the National House Project model to Midlothian. Midlothian House Project uses a trauma-informed, relationship-focused approach to support care experienced people enter their own tenancy. Care experienced people are offered 1:1 individual support from a key worker, and group support via the ‘hub’. The success of Midlothian House Project has been recognised nationally by homeless charity Crisis and the Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare Forum (STAF). Midlothian Council have now made the decision to incorporate the House Project into their core Children’s Services and Aftercare delivery, with no further reliance on external funding. Midlothian Council have also ended the use of B&B accommodation as an option for those at risk of homelessness, and work in partnership with Children’s Services and Housing Services to change the allocations policy which no longer limits the number of properties available to the House Project.

Source: Who Cares? Scotland (2024) Corporate Parenting Awards Programme

We acknowledge and champion the impact of all nominees. The Scottish Government and Executive Agencies will continue to offer support and resource to all corporate parents to keep the Promise and help support Scotland’s care experienced children and young people, and care leavers.