Scotland made a promise to children and young people
You will grow up loved, safe and respected.
And by 2030, that promise must be kept.
Keeping The Promise
In response to an Independent Care Review of Scotland’s care system, a promise was made by the Scottish government to every child in Scotland that they could grow up loved, safe and respected. It was called The Promise.
Over 5,500 children and adults engaged with the Care Review which formed The Promise. To date, numerous organisations, institutions, bodies, communities and groups all across Scotland have pledged to #KeepThePromise. The Yard are proud to join this pledge.
The foundations of the promise
The foundations of the promise are built on what care experienced people said needs to change in Scotland.
They show what’s important for any child to grow up loved, safe and respected.
The Promise is built on Five Foundations. These foundations must be at the heart of how Scotland thinks, plans and prioritises for children and their families.
Voice
Children must be listened to.
That means they should be meaningfully and appropriately involved when decisions are made about their care, with all those involved properly listening to them, and responding to what they want and need.
Scotland’s culture of decision-making must be compassionate and caring. It must be focused on children, and those they trust.
Family
Where children are safe in their families and feel loved, they must stay. Families must get support together to nurture that love, and to overcome the difficulties which get in its way.
Care
Sometimes, it’s not possible for children to live with their family, but they must still be able to live with their brothers and sisters, as long as it’s safe. They must belong to a loving home, staying there for as long as they need to.
People
The children Scotland cares for must be supported to develop relationships: with people in the workforce, and those in the wider community. Who in turn must also be supported to listen and be compassionate in their decision-making and care.
Scaffolding
Children, families and the workforce must be supported by a system that is there when it is needed, with the scaffolding of help, support and accountability.
Our pledge
The Promise closely resonates with our work to support the health and wellbeing of children and young people and the families who love and care for them, and we’re committed to keeping it.
Our commitment is based upon the five foundations which underpin The Promise – voice, family, care, people and scaffolding. These fundamentals are essential to ensure that the transformative change recommended by The Promise is implemented and sustainable across our organisation and its services and in wider society.
At The Yard we pledge our commitment to The Promise and by using the five foundations we will ensure the children and young people we support have all they need to reach their full potential.
At The Yard we will #keepthepromise
