Seminar seeks brighter future for ‘looked after’ children
Thursday, February 8 2007
A Corporate Parenting Seminar to improve the prospects of ‘looked after’ children in the Borders was held last week at Scottish Borders Council HQ in Newtown St Boswells.
The seminar brought together all the key partners involved in the upbringing of looked after children, including carers and representatives from voluntary and independent agencies, health, the Police, education, the Scottish Executive and the Social Work Inspection Agency. Councillors also attended.
Almost 190 children, from newborn babies to 18 year olds, are currently termed ‘looked after’ in the Borders. This means that the local authority has a variety of duties and responsibilities towards them, including in some cases physically taking care of them. Most are living with foster carers or living with their own families.
Prospects for these youngsters can be bleak. Scottish statistics show that looked after children are 10 times more likely to be excluded from school than other children, and only 25% of them achieve any qualifications, compared to 96% of the general population. Almost half of young people who had been looked after are unemployed and in receipt of benefits. Many are likely to become homeless or mentally ill, have drug or alcohol problems or become known to the Courts.
The inter-agency Corporate Parenting Group plan to improve services for children, young people and their families and acknowledges that any organisation involved in the care of looked after children must take a ‘corporate parenting’ responsibility for them.
The vision, set by the Group, is to give looked after children “the best possible start in life regardless of their family background”.
Last February, SBC’s Executive Committee agreed to adopt a Corporate Parenting Policy, presented by the Directors of Social Work and Education, to maximise opportunities for looked after children.
“We need to know that we are making the same decisions for these children as we would make for our own children,” explained SBC Director of Social Work, Andrew Lowe. “Taking a collective corporate parenting responsibility is the best way of ensuring that these very vulnerable youngsters receive the standard of healthcare, education, support and preparation for life that they need to become active, responsible and happy members of the community.”
Participants at last week’s seminar learned about the responsibilities of Corporate Parenting and the current policies agreed by Social Work Services, Education and Health. They also learned about best practice approaches by other authorities. Lively discussion groups took place where participants shared their ideas on key issues relating to looked after children.
Councillor Sandy Scott, joint Portfolio Holder for Social Work, said: “Children are tomorrow’s adults; it is vital we give them the best start in life that we can – whether it be getting them involved in local activities or getting them started in employment. There is much more we all can do.”
In recognition of its corporate parenting responsibilities, SBC, in partnership with Borders Sport and Leisure Trust, has developed a pilot project which will launch on March 1st to give looked after and
accommodated children free access to leisure activities, such as swimming, aerobics and track facilities.
The project will run for three months with the possibility of being extended.
Madeleine Borthwick, a foster carer, said: “This new sports project is just great. The children will be able to go swimming as many times as they like for free.”
The Corporate Parenting Group will take the ideas from the day to revise their Action Plan and develop the Corporate Parenting Plan. The seminar follows the recent launch of the Scottish Executive publication, ‘Looked After Children and Young People: We can and must do better’.
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