"Corporate parenting" guidelines aim to improve lives of vulnerable young
Guidance for statutory bodies charged with caring for vulnerable children and young people in Scotland has been published, with the aim of improving the poor personal outcomes often experienced by this group.
With persistently low levels of educational engagement and achievement of looked after children feeding into high levels of poverty, homelessness and poor mental health, the Scottish Government document recognises the legal and moral responsibilities of the state to support children who have experienced adversity, including by enhancing their quality of life, as well as simply keeping them safe.
Duties of corporate parents under part 9 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 are now in force, and parenting organisations are obliged to have regard to the new guidance, issued by ministers under the Act. It comes in addition to other guidance documents relating to particular issues relating to children, such as children's services planning.
"Corporate parenting is about certain organisations listening to the needs, fears and wishes of children and young people, and being proactive and determined in their collective efforts to meet them", the document states. "[The guidance] is designed to support corporate parents to turn part 9 of the Act into practice which improves outcomes for looked after children and care leavers."
It is hoped that the guidance will also be of interest to other individuals and organisations involved in supporting looked after children and care leavers.