Dear Friend,

With the sun beginning to make more of a regular appearance it certainly feels like summer is, finally, on the horizon and with that, moods are beginning to lift.

Here at Staf we are in high spirits thanks to our care experienced steering group at HMPYOI Polmont, Inside Out, being shortlisted for a Pioneering Project award at this year’s Scottish Charity Awards. We’ll be digging out our glad rags for the ceremony on the 15th of June to celebrate all of those who are nominated and will have everything crossed for team Inside Out. Thank you to everyone who voted for them as your People’s Choice winner.

Two of our other care experienced led groups, Youth Just Us and the Care Leavers Forum, have also been celebrating as they get together, in person, with bowling and crazy golf experiences to help make those all-important connections and relationships whilst discussing key issues affecting care leavers. It’s been great to hear their enthusiasm for making a difference and we will support them in every way we know how.

One of those ways is the establishment of a Cross Party Group on Care Leavers which we are delighted to say will be holding its first online meeting on Wednesday 22nd June at 12pm where we will be sharing the themes that our groups have raised as key issues and agreeing the workplan with MSPs but also those who support care leavers and care leavers themselves. We would love to have as many voices around this virtual table, so if this is something you, or someone you know, would be interested in joining please email jack@staf.scot to be added to the CPG membership list.

Our other project, The Real Toolkit, has this month been highlighting the guides to compliment Mental Health Awareness week, from both a young person’s and workforce perspective. As with all the guides, they contain key information, tips and useful links. We are planning to expand on these guides and ensure they are kept up to date. If you would like to be involved in this process, please email katrina@staf.scot.

As you may know we have been conducting a review of our trauma informed practice, the first stage of which has come to an end. Thank you to those who contributed to our feedback session. We look forward to sharing our findings and actions with you in due course but in the meantime, if your organisation is keen to know more about being trauma informed, then you can sign up to NES’ Trauma Is Everyone’s Business free webinar taking place on Tuesday 7th June which will introduce you to the National Trauma Training Programme.

The eagerly awaited publication of England’s Independent Review of Children’s Social Care has taken over the social, if not mainstream media channels this week. It’s a fascinating read and with echoes of The Promise but not, it seems, the same cross-party support and passion to deliver from those at the top. We watch with interest and have collated a small review of responses to give you a taste of what’s been said so far.

Also out this month is first report of The Promise Oversight Board on progress made to #KeepThePromise. Whilst some inroads have been made it is clear from this report that there is a long way to go and many gaps in the available information about progress being made. We will ensure that the workforce is supported as we all navigate our way through this important journey.

Finally, thank you to everyone who has attended our focus groups this month. I know our Throughcare and Aftercare Workforce Lead, Chris Walsh, has really enjoyed meeting you and is currently in the process of reaching out to all Local Authorities to get an understanding of provision of services for care experienced young people. It’s been great to hear that our forums are valued, particularly for their ability to unite and create networks of practitioners to share best practice and hear the many ways the workforce are supporting care leavers. We hope to have some exciting news about additional networking opportunities in our next newsletter.

Until then, thank you for your support and please do not hesitate to get in touch with me, or one of the team if we can do anything to help amplify your voices as the workforce and those you support. 

Best wishes,

Jo Derrick

Staf CEO 

• Youth Just Us members have also been working collaboratively with CYCJ helping shape and voice over an animation of findings from SUII research exploring what socially just justice looks like for 18-25 year olds. 
• We enjoyed a trip to rumble jungle crazy golf and a cheeky Nandos!
• We are looking forward to taking part in CYCJ young people’s sessions on the care and justice bill to help shape our own response
  
• Later this month we will be piloting and launching NKBL new Nae Danger VR game which aims to prevent the carrying of knives. Youth Just Us members co-designed the game and even provided voice overs.
  
• We are excited that member’s of Youth Just Us are now members of the Age of Criminal Responsibility Advisory group, the Children’s Rights Implementation Group, and the Participation subgroup.
  
• Youth Just Us are currently keen to recruit more members to be part of the fun so are working on designing flyers, a brand new video and much more so if you are passionate about having fun, influencing change and are aged 16-25 with experience of both the care and justice systems then get in touch with Ruth.

Inside Out - Care experienced steering group at HMPYOI Polmont 

• We're thrilled to share that Inside Out have been shortlisted for the Pioneering Project Award at this year's Scottish Charity Awards. We'll have our fingers and toes crossed on the 15th June for an Inside Out win! 
• The boys and young men have been working on their second edition of the newsletter where they have been exploring creative writing and coming up with some cracking jokes, blogs and interviews. This will go out to all the children and young people currently in Polmont.
• We are continuing to form our own guidance to help care experienced boys and young men in Polmont

You can keep up to date with Youth Just Us and Inside Out at @YJVScotland on Twitter.

The Real Toolkit, a leaving care resource by Staf, is  available here. 

You can follow us on Twitter and Instagram to keep up with our progress or if you'd like to get involved please email katrina@staf.scot.

Scottish Care Leavers Forum 

This month we have met up in person – had some lunch and chat about some of the things that we will be focusing on in the coming months – Finance/Education/Terminology. We have a “plan of action” that we have developed to engage with relevant organisations/decision-makers/individuals around these key areas. We also had a session with Who Cares? Scotland last week about the guaranteed income – the Care Leavers Forum are keen to continue to be involved in these discussions and are excited to see where they lead. Next month we will be focusing on planning the Care Leavers Forum event in December. 

Get in touch with katrina@staf.scot if you'd like to get involved and influence change for care leavers! 

National Leadership Network
Here's an update from NLN Development Co-ordinator, Gary Brown

• We have been meeting with the young people from the Interim Oversight Board. Our last meetings have focused on the roadshow and the development of a National Leadership Network Steering Group.
• More informal communication has taken place with young people who are showing interest in being part of the National Leadership Network. Young people are already being linked to various leadership opportunities and experiences.
• NLN have delivered an hour-long interactive session with the Who Cares? Scotland staff and the Resilience Learning Partnership team 
• A proposal has been submitted for a workshop at this year’s CYCJ national conference.
• There has been request for NLN input into a Scottish Fostering Network national event in June.
• Work has begun on a NLN short video with a focus on analysis of staff/young person interaction for CELCIS' staff team. This relates to previous NLN workshop and thought to highlight good practice.
• NLN staff are in discussion with NLN partners regarding meeting with their individual staff teams.
• There has been a request for NLN input into a Celcis led Participation Network national event summer 2022.
• Planning continues for national roadshow. First 2 events will take place in Aberdeen and East Renfrewshire, dates to be confirmed alongside one at Rossie after a recent visit from NLN staff.
• We have met with various agencies and services over the last month. This has ranged from local authorities to the Scottish Government to local projects. Meetings have involved consultation, sharing information and learning.

• A young person is currently working on a word press website for the NLN.
• We have set up Instagram, Tik Tok and a Facebook page. Look out for us promoting these in dues course.

 If you would like to get in touch with Gary and Lisa please contact gary@thenln.org / lisa@thenln.org

Children's Care and Justice Bill - policy proposals: Deadline 22 Jun 

Meeting since 2014, the Implications of Continuing Care focus group offers a safe place to discuss issues and practice arising from Part 11 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014. The recent work of this group has discussed commissioning placements, fostering fees and payments and shared good practice from across Scotland.