Orkney’s vision for children and young people - March 2021

Colleagues from health, social care, education services, the police, the third sector and others from the Community Planning Partnership have been working together with children and young people to help us plan our vision and our services to support all children and young people.

Through a series of engagement sessions, including with the Youth Forum, care experienced young people and pupil councils, we have agreed together that the vision for all children and young people in Orkney should be ‘The Promise’, which is Scotland’s Ambition from the 2020 Independent Care Review for children and young people.

“We grow up loved, safe and respected so that we realise our full potential".

A joint virtual workshop, with young people, Elected Members, NHS Orkney Board members and senior leaders was held last month (February 2021) with the purpose of listening to our young people so that we can ensure their views are embodied in our new Children’s Services Plan, which is currently being developed. We will ensure that their views will inform the development and delivery of improved or new services for children and young people. Follow up with the young people will continue to confirm that we really understand and hear what matters to them.

“The most important thing for me as a young person who has been through the care system is to be listened to” – a care experienced young person.

Myself and my siblings were brought up within the care system from a young age due to the neglect and abuse we suffered from those who were meant to love, nurture and keep us safe. I would not wish what we had to go through on my worst enemy which is why I am willing to speak out in a bid to try and improve things for others.

I left care when I was 16 and was largely left to fend for myself. I suffer from ongoing feelings of rejection, being unloved, and spent most of my young years being thrust from pillar to post. I had done nothing wrong, but I was the one being punished – that is incredibly hard for anyone to understand, let alone a child.

I have the support of a wonderful husband now and I have my own family, but I remain in touch with the system through a voluntary order as I need ongoing support.

The most important thing for me as a young person who has been through the care system is to be listened to; you can learn so much - we can tell you what you are doing right and, more importantly, what you are doing wrong. Give young people a voice to be heard safely.

“We were given a safe space to be heard about issues that matter to us…” – Orkney Youth Forum Chair Hope Laing Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament.

The Orkney Youth Forum was delighted to have been able to input into the new vision for children and young people in Orkney. As Chair of the Forum, I was impressed with how people were willing to engage with the forum and were truly wanting our opinions involved. After discussing with the Forum afterwards we all felt that we were given a safe space to be heard about issues that matter to us about growing up in Orkney.

OIC Councillor Rachael King and Chair of the OIC/NHS Orkney Integration Joint Board – “Our children and young people are the future of our communities and their strength of voice in shaping our services is invaluable”

'The Promise’ demonstrates that as a community we hold a shared vision. I would ask people to read ‘The Promise’ and then read it again more slowly. In doing so to ask yourself what it means to you to feel ‘loved’, ‘safe’, and ‘respected’? Every child and young person has an equal right to feel what you have just felt. In meeting this promise we can ensure that no child or young person is left behind in reaching their ‘full potential’ and our communities will feel the benefit for generations to come.