04 June 2018

Independent Care Review Enters Next Phase of Work

Scotland’s Independent Care Review has announced that it has begun the third stage of its work.

Called Journey, this stage will take place until August 2019, with the intended outcome a series of new initiatives across Scotland for a range of children and young people in care, families on the edge of care, and care-experienced adults; and the identification of pioneers – those people ready and willing to try something different.

In beginning this next stage, the Review has provided an update on its work, publishing the findings of the second phase – Discovery – and a set of 12 Intentions to guide the new stage.

Welcoming the next stage of the Review’s progress, CELCIS’s Executive Director, Jennifer Davidson said:

“The Review’s highly participative approach has provided an important, essential, and compelling platform for children and young people in care, and care experienced people, to help shape the future. The findings so far - even at this early stage - are already contributing to a change in all our thinking about how to make things better for our most vulnerable children. 

“Getting the care system right for all our children who need it - from our very youngest right up to adulthood - requires change. Our experience, and the evidence, tells us that while many improvements have already been made in recent years, the scale of the change that’s needed to really address the rights and needs for children in care, is even more complex. Only together will we find the ways to make the changes that are really needed.

“We welcome the very large numbers of people involved in the Review, not only the children and young people, but also the many organisations, professionals and carers, who have invested time, energy and faith into the Review and continue to do so.

“We remain enthusiastically committed in our support to the Review and to the important changes that it is striving to realise.”

The Review is asking those interested in getting involved with the Journey stage to register this with them.

Information about the Journey stage and how the Review will work to deliver improvements for infants, children and young people who experience care is available on the Review website.