Call to government: Joint statement re emergency in availability of alternative care options for children, Social Work Scotland
What are the main points?
- The fostering system is in crisis, with an acute shortage of suitable homes and carers to take in the country’s most vulnerable young people, warn social workers.
- Chief social work officers from all 32 Scottish local authorities (LAs) issued a rare joint statement recently, calling on the government to act.
- The LAs say the lack of options puts children at risk of physical, sexual or emotional abuse or neglect, while newborn babies are remaining in the care of hospital nurses.
- Social workers are taking children into their own homes through lack of alternative safe options, while children as young as three are being placed in residential homes with young adults.
- Children’s charity Barnardo’s has backed the warning, which it says it raised two years ago, and reaffirmed its commitment to The Promise Scotland – a collective for change set up in 2022.
EXPERT THOUGHT
Michele Janes, Director of Barnado’s Scotland said ‘‘A shortage of foster carers leaves hundreds of children without a safe and loving home, and that is something we work every day to address. We strongly believe that any loving person can make a wonderful foster parent to a child in need. We urge the Scottish Government to prioritise more support for foster carers across Scotland.’
Image | ISTOCK
