UK Charity of the Year and Highland Council backs people across Highland celebrating Care Experienced people
Today (Friday 15 February) marks the 4th annual Care Day - a celebration of Care Experienced people across the world.
Care Experienced is a term used to refer to anyone who has experience of care in their lives. This includes foster care, children’s homes, secure care, kinship care or living at home with social work involvement.
Care Day takes place on the third Friday in February each year and has continued to go from strength to strength. It is now recognised across the UK and internationally as an opportunity to celebrate the lives and voices of Care Experienced people.
Leading charity, Who Cares? Scotland an organisation that works for and on behalf of Care Experienced people is celebrating those who have backed Care Day.
Tom Boyd Who Cares? Scotland who works with Care Experienced people locally said: “People in Highland have been working to recognise and support Care Experienced people. We do this through listening to them, amplifying their voice and making sure they are a valued part of the community. We want Care Experienced people to feel free to be themselves”.
Last year Moray Care Experienced people and supporters came to Highland so this year Highland Care experienced people and supporters are going to Moray where they will gather at Elgin Town Hall to celebrate the value that Care Experienced people bring to the community.
Linda MacLennan, The Highland Council's Resource Manager for Looked After Children said: “On Care Day we will be celebrating Care Experienced people by raising a flag over the Town Hall in Elgin, holding an art exhibition, having a CHAMPS meeting with Maree Todd MSP and hosting a ten pin bowling party. We are also changing the way we do CHAMPS in Highland. Corporate parents will be developing relationships and listening to the life stories of our young people so that the young people are calling the shots to improve their life chances.”
Chair of Highlands Corporate Parenting Board Councillor Linda Munro said: “The board members relish the opportunity of improving life in Highland for our care experienced young people.”
Duncan Dunlop, CEO of Who Cares? Scotland added: “There are communities across Scotland today celebrating Care Day and their Care Experienced people.
“Where people stand up to recognise Care Experienced people and the need for a lifetime of equality, respect and love, we will commend them. Highland has done this and we know that our members across Highland will feel more accepted as a result of this.”
The first Care Day took place in 2015 to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Scottish Parliament cross party support for the passing of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill 2014.
This was a very significant moment as the evidence of 21 Care Experienced campaigners helped change the Bill’s course and secure more rights for Care Experienced people in Scotland.
Care Day takes place on the third Friday in February each year and has continued to go from strength to strength. It is now recognised across the UK and internationally as an opportunity to celebrate the lives and voices of Care Experienced people.