Newsflash

Every month we send out a digital newsletter called NewsFlash to our members. However, we know that not all of our members will have an email account or access to the internet. That’s why we have decided to start including a roundup of important headlines from the last couple of months and sharing them again, here in

SpeakOut, so you don’t miss out! If you haven’t been receiving NewsFlash but have a working email address, just email membership@ whocaresscotland.org and we’ll update your details.

Care Experienced History Month - April 2021

HWe announced our plans to dedicate First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, and More information can be April 2021 to be the first ever Care Scottish Labour party leader, Richard found on our website – www. Experienced History Month. We Leonard, joined Care Experienced whocaresscotland.org/what-we-do/ think that by exploring the past people to learn about the history of campaigns/history-month/ together, we can learn, grow and Care Experienced people across the remember this rich and important world. history. They joined us in hearing the Throughout history, and in the stories of the Sons of the Mars, the present day, all children have children of Symllum and Quarriers needed love, stability and positive Village and the displaced Care HH relationships to grow and develop. At different points, as far back as 4,000 years ago, the state has intervened in family life when that isn’t being offered to some children. In Scotland, our conversation about Care Experienced history came to focus on Care Day 2020, when the Experienced people who were separated from their families, stripped of their identities, and sent across the world to former UK Colonies. We think that we are doomed to repeat history if we do not learn about it honestly.

HBlack History The Promise Month Article Oversight Board

Member, Amy-Beth, and Melissa from our Public Affairs team, explored the intersectionality of race and Care Experience in this blog for Care Experienced Week and Black History Month, hosted by CRER (Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights). You can read the full article here –www.crer.scot/post/it-s-time-to-talk-about-careexperienced-people-of-colour Recruitment is now underway for Oversight Board members. The Oversight Board is a key component in the work being carried out by The Promise. Chaired by Fiona Duncan, it will meet for the first time in January 2021. At least 50% of its membership will have lived experience of care. It will hold Scotland to account. It will recognise that there are both national and local bridges and barriers to change which are of critical importance to the lives of children and families. Turn to page 21 to get a full update on the work of H WHO CARES? SCOTLANDH H HH The Promise directly from Fiona Duncan. H

HHHH HHH NEWS & EVENTSSpeak Out Magazine | WINTER 2020 Children’s Hearing Advocacy The law says all children and young people who need to go to a children’s hearing should be able to get support and representation from a children’s advocacy worker. It doesn’t matter how old you are; if you would like an advocacy worker to help you, you can have one. Who Cares? Scotland are one of the organisations now providing advocacy support for Children’s Hearings. You can find out who you local work is by visiting www.hearings-advocacy.com/ about-advocacy

Period Products (Scotland) Bill

On the 24th November the Period Products (Scotland) Bill was unanimously passed by the Scottish government with the goal of tackling “period poverty”.

This means that by law, the Scottish Government must provide free period products for anyone who needs them.

This includes products being provided in school, college and university toilets.

Scotland is the first country in the world to provide free and universal access to period products, which should help tackle period poverty – the struggle to pay for basic sanitary products on a monthly basis.

Giving Evidence to the Equalities and Human Rights Committee

On the 26th November our Policy Manager, Carly Elliot, gave evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities and Human Rights Committee for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill on behalf of our members.

When questioned, Carly’s answers were shaped by our advocacy knowledge, the work we have done on the UNCRC and strengthened by members’ voices. We fully support the incorporation of the UNCRC in Scots law, it is a historic step for Scotland’s children and remains a key theme in our work.

We have also submitted a written response to the Committee.

#ShareOurLife

This year alone, three fostering campaigns have received widespread criticism from the Care Experienced community across social media. So we decided to use our resources and time to host conversations between a cross UK group entirely made up of Care Experienced people including some with professional experience of marketing, advertising, delivery of care and therapeutic support. Together, they have created an open source, free to use resource that shows how this group of Care Experienced people want conversations about fostering to be go.