Forgotten Voices: young people speak out

Two films giving voice to the views of young people in foster care and the sons and daughters of foster carers have been launched by leading charity the Fostering Network in Stirling on 20 February 2006.
The films, together forming the Forgotten Voices series, are written and produced by young people and are based on their real-life experiences.
Featuring actors and aimed at managers of social work services and the Government, the videos contain hard-hitting messages about the impact fostering has on the lives of young people involved in foster care, and the support they require now and in the future.
Bryan Ritchie, director of the Fostering Network Scotland, said: “All too often the voices of those right at the centre of the care system – the children and young people themselves – are forgotten. Moreover, the impact of fostering on the sons and daughters of foster carers receives little recognition, despite the crucial role they play within the care process.
“The Fostering Network hopes the messages from these films will help social workers and others involved in fostering to understand what it is like to be in foster care or to be a young person whose parents are foster carers.”{mospagebreak}
Cheryl Leggett, a foster care leaver involved in helping to write the scripts for Forgotten Voices, says: “Writing the scripts was an example of how the Fostering Network’s young people’s project is special it has got the art of working with young people down to a tee. We were given the freedom to express ourselves and as a result our work is pretty hard hitting. We are very proud of the result and it was great fun to do.”
Robert Brown, deputy minister for education and young people said: “Every day foster carers make a real difference to the lives of children and young people in Scotland. They provide a fantastic service, which means that some of our most vulnerable youngsters have, possibly for the first time, a real focus and some stability in their lives.
“But it’s vitally important that we listen to the views of all of those involved in fostering at the heart of the system – that’s why it’s great to hear first hand from these youngsters about their experiences, hopes and aspirations.”
There are over 3,461 children living with 2,200 foster carers in Scotland on any one day and over 90 per cent of foster carers have their own children.
Find out more about the Young People’s Project and the launch of Forgotten Voices on the Fostering Network Scotland website www.fostering.net/scotland/