As part of Scottish Children’s Health Week, we’re celebrating #BeCalm Wednesday by reflecting on the joy, connection, and empowerment found in our Bear’s Big Self-Management Skills (SMS) Adventure Days. This year, we’ve hosted three incredible picnics—each one a unique celebration of play, family togetherness, and the health rights of children. 🌳 Why Play Matters – Especially Together Play isn’t […]
kinship care
Two-thirds of Kinship Carers left without formal support: new Census Data reveals stark reality for Scotland’s hidden families
The newly published Kinship Care Statistics from Scotland’s Census 2022 reveal a troubling truth: of the estimated 12,800 children living in kinship care across Scotland, two-thirds are in informal arrangements—meaning they are cared for by relatives or close family friends without formal recognition or support from the state.
🐻 Bear’s CASTLETASTIC Picnic for kinship care families at Stirling Castle! 🏰
What do you get when you mix dragon eggs, parachutes, knight poses, and a whole lot of love? Bear’s CASTLETASTIC Picnic at Stirling Castle – a magical day for kinship care families from across Scotland!
Third progress report for The Promise
The Promise Oversight Board has published the third of its progress reports, looking at whole family support and workforce. ‘Report THREE’ has found that unexpected events and systematic barriers have delayed implementation. In particular issues impacting the workforce and whole family support have meant the promise is not halfway to being kept by 2030.
Research highlights the need for increased support for Scotland’s kinship families
For the first time, a body of data about Scotland’s children and young people with experience of care has been brought together to better understand the picture of kinship care in Scotland. The information is in the report – Growing Up in Kinship Care – published in October by CELCIS, the Centre for Excellence for […]
Scotland’s most vulnerable children taking years to be placed in permanent homes
Scotland’s care system is taking years to find many of the country’s most vulnerable children permanent homes with too many of them having no contact with their siblings, according to a new Permanently Progressing Longitudinal Study published by the University of Stirling in collaboration with Lancaster University, and the Association for Fostering, Kinship & Adoption […]
Plan 24-30 is live, what next?
The Promise Independent Strategic Adviser, Fiona Duncan, has written a blog on the next steps following the publication of the Plan 24-30.
Updated guidance for kinship care legislation
The Scottish Government has published updated non-statutory guidance to accompany Part 13 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 (Support for Kinship Care) and The Kinship Care Assistance (Scotland) Order 2016. The updated guidance reflects growing knowledge about the particular needs of children in kinship care and of their carers, and the supports […]
Understanding the experiences of children growing up in kinship care in Scotland
To mark Kinship Care Week 2024, Dr Joanna Soraghan, Data Analyst at CELCIS, the Centre for Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection, shared some initial findings from CELCIS’s analysis into the experiences of children living in ‘formal’ kinship care within Scotland. The study, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, is being conducted by […]
Our Winter Magazine is now available online
The festive winter edition of our magazine is now available to view or download and, in this edition, we open with a big bear hug to Katie for her wonderful support of our charity on BBC Radio 2.
