Care providers in Scotland have launched the #plan4children to commit all council candidates to pledge to develop services aimed at the most vulnerable children in Scotland
A COALITION OF care providers in Scotland has launched a campaign to get all prospective new local councillors to help them to develop services that will help the most vulnerable children in society.
The Coalition of Care and Support Providers in Scotland (CCPS) – which represents 25 charities providing care for children and young people – will be asking all local council candidates ahead of May’s local elections to make a pledge to help plan and build high quality services that will assist the lives of children and young people who need assistance.
Sally-Ann Kelly, chair of CCPS said: “This is the first stage of our campaign which is aimed at all the council candidates from every political party.
“It is taking out a very clear message to them about the importance of planning for children and including children in those planning processes, and the also the wider charitable and voluntary sector in the planning processes.
“It is taking out a very clear message to them about the importance of planning for children and including children in those planning processes, and the also the wider charitable and voluntary sector in the planning processes.” Sally-Ann Kelly
“It has got a real focus on early intervention because what we know is that we can intervene at the earliest possible time when families might be experiencing difficulties.
“It supports them to change aspects of their lives and basically achieve real positive achievement in the short term for those families.”
Under the banner of #plan4childen, CCPS is hoping that the campaign will get those new councillors to help develop services that will focus on empowering children, young people, their families and the wider communities in their local council area.
CCPS will also be engaging with those people who use children services to help to develop those policies that will contribute to provide and invest in services that will assist vulnerable children and youth.
“We need views [from council candidates] in some of the key issues in relation to mental health for young people.” Sally-Ann Kelly
The type of services that CCPS will be hoping to provide is those that will promote prevention and early intervention.
Kelly, who is also the CEO of Aberlour child care trust, told CommonSpace that anyone who is either a councillor or a candidate in May’s local council elections should keep a focus on the needs of the children as they will not have a vote.
She said: “They are not at times an actual constituency for candidates to focus on and what we are saying is we will support you to access information to some really key issues for children and families on the lead up to the campaign.
“We would like to maintain contact with you.
“Really speak to them about some of the interventions that really can support families to make some difference and change in their lives.” Sally-Ann Kelly
“We need views [from council candidates] in some of the key issues in relation to mental health for young people.
“Early support to families that may be struggling with drink abuse or drug abuse. Really speak to them about some of the interventions that really can support families to make some difference and change in their lives.”
CCPS members support more than 150,000 children, young people and families. It employs just under 6,000 staff and provides public services worth around £150m through local authorities via health and social care boards.
“As was more than evident at the Cosla Education, Children and Young People Exec Group [on Friday], the wellbeing of children and families remains a massive priority for Cosla and councils throughout Scotland.” Cosla spokesperson
CCPS believes that services that achieve the best outcomes for those people are the ones that are planned and prioritise early intervention and prevention.
A Cosla spokesperson said: “As was more than evident at the Cosla Education, Children and Young People Exec Group [on Friday], the wellbeing of children and families remains a massive priority for Cosla and councils throughout Scotland. Cosla works with a wide range of partners in this vital area.”
Scottish Labour’s education spokesperson, Iain Gray, said: “Labour welcomes this campaign, which comes at an important time ahead of the Scottish council elections. With local authorities facing £1.5bn worth of SNP cuts since 2011, children’s services find themselves under huge strain. That’s why every Labour councillor elected in May across Scotland will stand against the cuts and for investment in our public services.”
Picture courtesy of -JosephB-
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