A multi-agency event will take place on Friday 9 March 2018 to formally launch Stand Up for Siblings.
Stand Up For Siblings is a collaboration between a number of child welfare, children’s rights and legal organisations and academics within Scotland including Who Cares? Scotland, SCRA, CELCIS, University of Strathclyde and Clan Childlaw.
We know that children who face adversity greatly value their relationships with siblings. Yet for care experienced children and young people these relationships often become disrupted. We believe more can be done to protect the rights and promote the wellbeing of brothers and sisters in such circumstances and we are working together to influence the law, policy and practice around this issue.
We will be hosting an event on Friday 9 March 2018 at the University of Strathclyde’s SUII Institute. It will be organised around the theme of children’s rights, but also focus on practical and concrete changes that can be made at a practice level.
One purpose of the event will be to develop a shared understanding of the problem, how it manifests and impacts children and young people, and potential solutions.
Central to the event will be hearing the voices of young people. We will have a mixed audience of targeted guests and young people with experience of sibling separation and contact. Other guests include representatives of social work and legal practitioners, Children’s Hearings personnel, adoption and fostering specialists.
The day will run from 10.30am to 3pm and will include presentations, workshops and a panel discussion towards the end of the day.
We believe this will be the first event of its kind in Scotland to focus exclusively on sibling separation and contact.