Our blog is a hub for news, views and analysis of what is happening in the looked after children sector here in Scotland, and further afield. You will hear from our staff and guest bloggers on many topical issues where they will be reflecting and sharing their policy, practice and research insights.
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Claire Burns, Director (Acting), CELCIS – Centre for Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection discusses how COVID-19 has exacerbated inequalities in society.
Nikki Hepburn, Art teacher at Harmeny Education Trust, is a residential school providing care and education to children aged 5-14 who have experienced early years trauma, describes an animation project, funded by Creative Scotland, which created an innovative and accessible way for young people with complex social, emotional and behavioural needs to tell their own stories.
The introduction of the advocacy service is an important additional support. It’s already the case that hearings must consider views of children and young people as far as possible and they are able to do this in a number of ways – through the child, their parents and families, through social workers and other professionals.
For Adoption Week Scotland this year, Fiona Aitken, Director of Adoption UK Scotland, looks at why therapeutic parenting is so important for children who have been adopted.
This Adoption Week Scotland, Barbara Ogston, FASD Advisor in the FASD Hub Scotland, managed by Adoption UK, who is an adoptive parent, discusses the impact of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) within the care community, and why it’s vital that children and families receive the support they need.
Jo Cochrane is the Children’s Services Development and Assurance Team Manager at Dumfries and Galloway Council, since retired. Since 2018, CELCIS has been working alongside local public sector partnerships in Dumfries and Galloway, Falkirk, and East and Midlothian, to develop a Minimum Dataset for use across all 30 of Scotland’s Child Protection Committees.