Authentic co-production – it’s the right thing to do!

Rosie Moore, Participation and Policy Advisor at CELCIS describes leading on a project that has participation at its core from the very beginning. Genuine co-production is hard! It’s lengthy, slow and makes a lot of U-turns! But when it is done right, when everyone is truly invested in the process, the cause, and the participants, the outcome can be truly incredible.

Developing a village to care for the child (and the family)

As a new report is published by The Why Not? Trust, their Director of Innovation Moira Greentree, discusses the value of finding out how many care experienced teenagers and young people give birth in Scotland each year and how this information will be used to ensure the right support is developed and given in the right way, at the right time.

Could a minimum income guarantee help Scotland to keep The Promise?

For Challenge Poverty Week 2022, Paul Sullivan, Sector Engagement Lead and Lizzie Thomson, Policy Associate at CELCIS look the impact the cost of living crisis is having on families in Scotland, and CELCIS’s involvement in a project co-designed with care experienced children, their families, and partner organisations, to pilot a minimum income guarantee for care leavers in Scotland. They spoke with Sam Upton, a consultant at CELCIS with her own experience of care to get her thoughts.

A Wellbeing Economy: Lifting our gaze for those leaving care

For Challenge Poverty Week 2022, Jimmy Paul, Director at the Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll) Scotland, which works to promote a Wellbeing Economy, an economy that delivers social justice and environmental health for all, looks at what he thinks needs to happen for young people to have a smoother transition from care to interdependence, and asks why systems and services default to existing ways of working, instead of exploring new ways to ensure that all families can flourish and live with dignity.

Using my creativity and experience to help other young people make informed choices

Ciara Waugh is an art and design student who has been working with other young people to co-produce national information materials on the right to continuing care for young people. Here she writes about why this project is so close to her heart.

Knowing about continuing care allows for early conversations

Hazel Rogers is new to fostering and here she discusses her journey to find out more about continuing care to give her the confidence to support the young person in her care.

Genna Allan: You’ve Never Slept in Mine

In this blog, which appeared on the Stellar Quines website, Genna Allan discusses her experiences of being part of You’ve Never Slept in Mine and what she thinks makes the adaptation so special…

Mentoring in practice: An MCR Pathways mentor and young person share their journey together

On this National Mentoring Day, a young person who is currently a mentee with MCR Pathways and their mentor, Lorna Tilsley, discuss how their relationship has developed over time, navigating COVID-19 restrictions, and the impact that mentoring has had.

Walking in Fred’s shoes

Alison Cowper, Service Manager with the Independent Care and Review Team (Children and Families) at Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership talks about how ‘what does this mean for Fred?’ influenced their work with CELCIS when process mapping their current system.

The cost of the implementation gap for young people

Megan Sutherland is Vice Chair of Who Cares? Scotland. She recently moved home and found it wasn’t easy to register as exempt from paying Council Tax as a care leaver. Here she discusses what she feels needs to change for care experienced young people in Scotland.