Putting love at the heart of the Care Review

The Independent Care Review was first introduced to identify and bring about lasting change in Scotland’s care system. It’s the first review of its type anywhere in the world and it pledged to put care experienced children and young people at the core of its recommendations. 

Inspire Scotland fully supports the Independent Care Review, in particular the significant involvement of current and past care users. We have had many reviews and practice papers but this started where it matters with the First Minister interviewing 1000 consumers leading to the conclusion and guiding mantra from the First Minister that, ‘Every Young person deserves to be loved.’

What does this mean and how do you find out? Answer, the Chair, Fiona Duncan asked more than 800 children with experience of the care system, alongside another 800 paid and unpaid individuals who work with them, about the word “love”.

Loving the young people for whom we have the greatest privilege of looking after is not a word we often use in our everyday work with our children and young people, it probably should be, but it is certainly evident in the motivation that brings us to our work.

The review has encouraged us to believe that we are working along the right lines. Our work is based on the Social Pedagogy Model which informs our everyday practice. We believe that children should be listened to and meaningfully and appropriately involved in decision making. We also acknowledge that we are the adults and should not shirk our responsibilities.

We know the importance of secure, attachment based loving and consistent relationships must be the bedrock of every decision and action we take with our young people and we try to adhere to this in every way.   The review highlights the importance of Mental Health and Wellbeing and we are introducing a programmes of Creative Supervision and Reflective Practice for all our staff to try and ensure we are providing best practice in this area.  

We also know we still have a way to go but we pledge, that, throughout our organisation, we will work hard to create an environment and culture where growing and maintaining safe, loving respectful relationships is the norm.