Sturgeon pledges support for new project to improve lives of children in care

Nicola Sturgeon has pledged to listen to 1,000 young people as part of a project to improve the lives of children in care.

The First Minister met with young people at the charity Who Cares? Scotland in Glasgow on Monday to launch the 1,000 voices manifesto.

The manifesto aims to let young people return to care and extend after-care, make sure young people who are looked after at home get the support they need, and ensure more young people have a chance of getting and keeping a job.

Ms Sturgeon said: “Every child should have the best start in life and an equal chance to succeed. Yet for far too many young people in care, and through absolutely no fault of their own, that’s not the case.

“Children and young people are the best advocates for change and I am delighted to commit to listen to 1,000 people with experience of care.

“I’ve heard today some powerful stories of incredible strength and success in the most adverse of circumstances.

“Every person will have a different experience and over the next two years, I’ll spend time meeting many more young people or hearing their stories.

“By listening more to our young people, and by hearing what works and how the care system can improve, we’ll be able to make meaningful, lasting change and ensure children in care get the same support, stability and life chances that the rest of us take for granted.”

Duncan Dunlop, chief executive of Who Cares? Scotland, said: “The commitment to listen to 1,000 care-experienced voices shows incredible leadership and will set us on a journey that will change the outcomes for care-experienced people once and for all.

“The Scottish Government, when passing the Children and Young People Act, did something that had never been done by any Government in the world. They engaged with care-experienced people, listened to their stories, and made legislation that addressed the realities of what it’s like to leave care.”

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition – an alliance of independent and third sector providers – welcomed the First Minister’s commitment and said it is “delighted” with the pledge.

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